Man (69) spared jail over sex attack in care home
A CARE home resident who pleasured himself in a shower while being washed by two young female care assistants has avoided a prison term.
Judge Gerald Keys yesterday imposed a suspended two-year jail term on Michael Mason (69), of Sheeaun, Scarriff, Co Clare, at Ennis Circuit Court.
Mason pleaded guilty to the sexual assault on October 20, 2015, at the privately owned Co Clare care home of one of the care home assistants, who was aged 20 at the time.
In imposing the suspended jail term, Judge Keys told Mason that “a custodial sentence in light of your current medical condition would make it hard for you to serve and I am very conscious of that”.
Mason is in a wheelchair due to a stroke and damage caused to his central nervous system due to excessive alcohol abuse.
The court was told that, on the date in question, as the female care assistant dried Mason’s feet and put on his socks, he started to stroke the care assistant’s hair and asked her to perform a sex act on him.
Counsel for the State said that Mason told the assistant “what he would do to her”.
The court was told the victim said that what Mason was saying “was sickening” but the fact he was stroking her hair really got to her.
Counsel said the care assistant felt “traumatised and sick” over what occurred.
In his sentencing, Judge Keys said that Mason’s actions “caused the victim great upset”.
In her victim impact statement, the woman said: “Michael Mason sexually assaulted me. I was just trying to make a living for myself and do the best I could in the job.”
She added: “I loved my job at the nursing home but after what he did to me I had to leave.
“He has ruined my trust in people and changed the person I used to be,” she added.