Man (70) found not guilty of sex assault

A 70-year-old man before Sligo Circuit Court on a sexual assault charge was found not guilty by direction yesterday (Wednesday). Judge Keenan Johnson directed the jury of six women and six men to return a not guilty verdict. He did this on the basis a properly charged jury could have a reasonable doubt saying it was his obligation to take the case from the jury. He said his decision did not in any way reflect negatively on the complainant, and he didn’t doubt her genuineness or sincerity.

The complainant, a 33-year-old woman from county Sligo, gave evidence for over four hours on Tuesday.

The allegation went back 27 years when she was between six yearsold and seven years and eleven months-old. The date the offence was alleged to have occurred was somewhere between January 1, 1995, and September 1, 1996.

The judge said there was “clearly a considered vagueness in relation to the date,” and the lack of precision over the date was one of the factors in his decision.

Judge Johnson presided over a jury of six women and six men with the trial taking place since Thursday of last week.

Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Leo Mulrooney BL with State Solicitor, Elisa McHugh, presented the prosecution’s case. Defending counsel was Eileen O’Leary SC with Keith O’Grady BL, instructed by Mr Tom MacSharry solicitor.