A man who was sexually assaulted over a four-year period when he was a nine-year-old boy has told a court that he “buried it and suffered alone in silence” for years afterwards. The man’s victim impact statement was read to Trim Circuit Court where 43-year-old Stephen Murray of Newcastle, Oldcastle was charged with sexual assault on about 30 occasions between September 1996 and August 2000. The accused was aged 14 when the offending started. He was convicted by a jury on 14 counts of assault.
At a sentencing hearing before Judge John Martin Detective Garda Ray Flynn told the court that some of the incidents took place in a shed near a house where the accused and victim would visit. On one occasion the accused took the victim to the shed, gave him sweets and then carried out sexual assault on him. There were times when he would give him sweets before and after, then walk away. The victim told him (Garda) that his first clear recollection was of being in a mobile home with the accused sitting on one side and himself on the other. The accused brought him to “his side” and carried out sexual assault on him.
A girl passing outside rapped on the window and asked what was going on. On another occasion they were in a house and accused put a table against the door, put the victim on a bed and assaulted him. On a different occasion they were in a field playing with another child when the accused assaulted him.
Prosecuting barrister Kitty Perle reading from a victim impact statement by the victim said that he was trying to figure out what was going on. The accused was four years older than him and he would tell him “we will go and do the thing” before giving him sweets. The abuse stopped after a certain death in the family. The family was “very upset” and the victim said “how was I supposed to bring this up when everyone was in pain”.
“I buried it and suffered alone in silence”. The barrister said that the victim had turned to alcohol, had mental health difficulties and suffered from depression. He had suffered broken relationships and felt “very sad and alone”. He had written “I carried this weight for 20 years and I hope justice is done today (in court)”. He thanked Garda Flynn “for believing me” and thanked Ms Perle and her prosecuting team. The assaults were brought to Garda attention in 2022. He had previous convictions including burglary, and road traffic offences.
Defending barrister Barry Ward SC told the court his client was cooperative with Gardai and had not offended since the incident was reported. He had been in custody since November last year and at times had to sleep on the floor because of prison overcrowding. A number of references in his favour were handed into court. The judge was told the accused did not accept the jury’s verdict.
Judge Martin said that the victim had lived with the consequences of accused’s actions over many years. The acts carried out “were repeated, persistent in nature and gross in nature”, the judge said. This “domination of a young boy was vile behaviour and it went on for years”. A disturbing element of this grooming was the “rewarding with sweets”, thus buying the boy’s silence.
Judge Martin referred to “the long time” that the victim had suffered and said “hopefully today will somehow assist in the healing process you are on.” Judge Martin jailed the accused for five years backdated to the time the accused went into custody, 12 th November 12025.
