Sex assault Naval trainer7 put on 12mths probation
Victim slapped on her buttocks
A FORMER naval instructor who slapped a new recruit on the buttocks and said: “You’re lucky it wasn’t 15 years ago” has been put on a probation bond.
Derek Nagle, 56, resigned from the service following the sexual assault on Seana O’connor at Cork’s Haulbowline Naval Base in March last year.
Earlier this year, the city’s district court heard Naval Officer O’connor, who waived her right to anonymity was talking to a colleague when the incident occurred.
Inspector Anne Marie Guiney told the court Ms O’connor was chatting to a male recruit when then Leading Seamen
Nagle came in to room and shouted: “What the f**k are you doing here.”
She said Ms
O’connor apologised and said she was getting something.
Inspector Guiney added:
“He put his right hand behind her back and pushed her forward. He put his other hand on the back of her neck pushing her so her face was towards the floor.
“Her backside came off the bed and she was in a half-standing position. Nagle then proceeded to slap her across the left hand side of her buttocks forcefully and said to her, ‘I thought you like it rough’.”
After the slap she fell to her knees. As she was fixing her uniform he winked at her and said, “You’re lucky it wasn’t 14 or 15 years ago”.
Judge Marian O’leary was told Ms O’connor reported what happened and military police launched a probe.
Nagle, of Kilmona, Co Cork, who had 37 years’ service prior to resigning, admitted his guilt. In her victim impact statement Ms O’connor, who is in her 20s, said she should be happy with the outcome of the case but she felt “broken” by what Nagle had done.
She added: “We all have been through situations in our lives that test us and we move on but there’s only so much one person can take.
“I got up every day, put a face on, finished my branch training, passed my courses, moved on to the ship but inside I was breaking and still am.
“Every night for three to four weeks I had extreme nightmares, breakdowns and having to go to counselling service which the Irish naval service provides. “I couldn’t thank them enough. “But a year on and I still would have nightmares.
“It shouldn’t have happened.”
Defence barrister, Ronan Barnes said that his client had given close to four decades of service to the State, adding: “He has nothing whatever remotely like this [previously against him]. “He instructs me to apologise sincerely. It is a horrible thing to have happened. It should not have happened. He cannot give me any explanation.”
Yesterday Judge O’leary said she had read a probation report in relation to the matter. Mr Barnes said it was a “positive” report and the judge agreed.
She put Nagle on a probation bond of a 12-month duration.
This means he must comply with the directions of the probation service for that period. He was ordered to be of good behaviour.
The sentencing had been adjourned from last February.
Every night for weeks I had extreme nightmares, breakdowns and counselling SEANA O’CONNOR VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENT