Six months for man who groped male and female passengers on train

A MAN who sexually assaulted both a man and a woman on the Carlow-Athy train was sentenced to six months in prison for each of the offences. However, the judge ruled that both would run concurrently.

At his first appearance last February, Garda Emma Carroll told Athy District Court how “on 3 November 2023 on a train journey between Carlow and Athy, he engaged in some inappropriate touching”.

“He rubbed his hand along his thigh and touched her breast,” she clarified.

“The male reported it at the next stop and the defendant was arrested that night,” she said.

“He says he does not remember,” said Garda Carroll.

Because of the man’s guilty plea, at the recent sitting of Athy court Sgt Dave Hanrahan could list the defendant’s four previous convictions: two public order offences and two road traffic matters. In mitigation, the man’s solicitor Seamus Taaffe said his client was “a qualified chef, single and has no children”.

“Are the victims adult?” enquired Judge Desmond Zaidan.

“Yes, judge,” assured Mr Taaffe.

“I would be seeking a probation report,” the judge said. “Was he drunk?” “Very drunk,” replied Mr Taaffe.

“That doesn’t justify it. Nobody would like their female relative to be groped,” said the judge.

“It took courage for this male and female to give their evidence,” added Sgt Hanrahan.

“The defendant is the victim in a very sensitive case in Carlow,” explained Anthony, the court-appointed translator, but did not give any further details.

“He is not the first to give evidence of sexual abuse,” noted the judge. “This is now turned around into sexual abuse,” he added.

“He is a very heavy drinker,” Mr Taaffe reminded the court, but Judge Zaidan was not for turning and sentenced the man to six months in jail for the female and a further six months – to run concurrently – for the male, and set an appeal bond of €1,000.

“That’s the best I can do,” the judge said.

“This is frightening, and it took courage for those people to do what they did,” he said, echoing the sergeant’s earlier comment.

Noting that the charges were both under section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape Act), the judge wondered: “I think I have to put him on the Sex Offenders Register.” With a quick check of the relevant law on his laptop, Sgt Hanrahan confirmed this and so the judge also ruled that the defendant be thus listed for a minimum of two years.