JOSEF KEYS SENTENCED IN COUNTY CORK FOR DECADES-OLD SEXUAL ASSAULT ON CHILD
In a case that has spanned over four decades, Josef Keys, a resident of Hazelwood Close, Glanmire, County Cork, has been convicted of sexually assaulting a young girl approximately 40 years ago.The incident, which occurred in the 1980s, has only recently come to light, leading to a court hearing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
On Thursday, Judge Dara Hayes sentenced the 81-year-old to a total of 15 months in prison, with the final nine months suspended.
The court was informed that the sentence would be delayed until Monday, May 9, to allow Keys to make arrangements concerning his medications.
His legal representative, Suzanne Lewis, requested this adjournment, which the judge approved given the circumstances.
It was revealed that Keys is scheduled to be taken into custody on Monday to serve his sentence for the indecent assault, which was committed when the victim was between six and eight years old.
The victim, who only recently came forward to report the assault, was prompted to do so after Keys attempted to contact her daughter via social media.
Garda Caroline Horgan, who led the investigation, explained that the victim decided to come forward after Keys sent a friend request to her 12-year-old daughter.
This social media contact triggered her decision to report the historical abuse.
The victim’s statement detailed the profound and lasting impact of the assault, describing how it has affected her daily life and her ability to trust others.
The court heard that during the 1980s, when Keys was approximately 40 years old, he offered to teach the young girl how to drive.
Garda Horgan testified that Keys sat the girl on his lap in the driver’s seat and that she felt he was hard in the groin area during the encounter.
The victim’s impact statement, read aloud in court, expressed the deep scars left by the abuse.
She stated, “The legacy of having been sexually assaulted as a child impacts me every single day – I am hyper-vigilant to any risk to mine or my family’s safety.
When you tried to friend-request (daughter) on social media I realised you had not changed.
That is the reason we are here today.” She further described how the trauma has affected her ability to form trusting relationships, saying, “I hate the fact that because I was abused as a child this impacts how I am as a mother.
I am paranoid about my daughter’s safety.
The world was not a safe place for me when I was a child because of you.” The statement also addressed the offender directly: “I have carried your shame for most of my life.
But today I am handing that back to you because it is not mine to carry.
I did nothing wrong.
I was a young, innocent and vulnerable child and you, the trusted man in the community, took that from me.” Judge Hayes acknowledged the victim’s eloquent statement and the ongoing emotional toll it has taken.
She noted that the probation report classified Keys as having a moderate risk of reoffending.
It was also revealed that he had a previous conviction for sexual assault in the 1990s, adding to the seriousness of the case.
In her remarks, Judge Hayes emphasized the importance of the victim’s voice and the lasting effects of childhood trauma.
The court’s decision reflects a recognition of the gravity of the offences committed by Josef Keys in County Cork, and the impact on the victim’s life, which continues to resonate decades later.
