Kildare defendant allegedly sexual assaulted man with Down Syndrome
The case was heard at Naas District COurt
AN 87-year-old Kildare man who was charged with sexually assaulting a man with Down Syndrome in a supermarket bathroom appeared before Naas District Court last week.
The man faced a total of five such counts of sexual assault involving “predatory behaviour with male strangers” at various locations around north Kildare on dates between July 2022 and September 2023.
After the initial probation report was handed in to Judge Desmond Zaidan, Sergeant Dave Hanrahan explained that the defendant “allegedly followed a vulnerable male with Down Syndrome into a supermarket toilet and touched his bare penis” in September 2023.
“Because of this, a number of previously struck-out charges were re-entered,” said Sgt Hanrahan.
“When directly asked is he sexually attracted to males, he said ‘I don’t think of those things’,” the sergeant revealed.
Reading from the probation report, where the author suspected “mental decline or cognitive issues”, Judge Zaidan commented: “That’s where I stopped reading the last time."
“Why would someone wait until their 80s to do these things?” he mused.
“Therefore, I recommend this matter be adjourned for six months, because it is my belief that he’s been stalling before the court and we’d recommend him to continue controlling these behaviours,” said the judge.
“This is a challenging case, and the most recent victim has Down Syndrome."
“It’s a matter of public policy that issues like this are resolved, and I will grant legal aid (for the extended report),” he added, before adjourning the case until 4 December.
