PHILIP O’BRIEN'S HORRIFIC CRIME IN WATERFORD SHOCKS COMMUNITY

In a deeply disturbing case that has left the community of Waterford in shock, Philip O’Brien, a 73-year-old man, was sentenced to seven years in prison after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving a young girl. The incident, which took place in 1997, involved the sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl, an act that resulted in her becoming pregnant at a very tender age.

Yesterday, the court heard harrowing details of the case at Dublin Central Criminal Court. The young girl, now 16, tearfully recounted how O’Brien had lured her into his home in Tallow, Waterford, under the pretense of watching television. Once inside, he suddenly pushed her onto a bed, slapped her multiple times, and proceeded to sexually assault her. The trauma of that day has left lasting scars on her life.

Judge Patrick Smyth described the case as utterly appalling. He emphasized the gravity of the crime, stating, “For a 13-year-old girl to have a baby was appalling but to be raped and made pregnant by a man more than five times her age is quite disgusting.” The court was informed that DNA evidence indicated a 350:1 probability that O’Brien was the biological father of the child, further cementing his guilt.

In his sentencing remarks, Mr. Justice Smyth underscored the severity of the crime, noting that a seven-year sentence for O’Brien, given his age, effectively amounted to a life sentence. The victim’s family expressed their support for the media to name O’Brien, seeking justice and acknowledgment of the suffering inflicted.

Sergeant Albert Gill provided insight into the profound impact the assault had on the young girl. Once a cheerful and outgoing child, she had become withdrawn and troubled. Her social life had diminished significantly, and she believed that people on the street were talking about her, pointing her out. The proximity of O’Brien’s residence to her home added additional stress to her and her family, intensifying her feelings of vulnerability and isolation.

The court was told that the girl felt stigmatized and cut off from her peers after the assault. She had previously regarded O’Brien as a grandfather figure, often visiting his house for casual chats. She insisted that he had not touched her sexually before the attack. However, she later revealed that O’Brien had threatened to harm her mother if she disclosed what had happened.

In September 1997, she discovered she was pregnant. Initially, she falsely claimed that she had been raped by a boy while on holiday in London. It was only later that she admitted O’Brien was the perpetrator, explaining that her initial false allegation was made out of fear and because of the threat he had made against her mother.

O’Brien, who denied the charges, claimed he had been sterile since the 1950s due to mumps, a fact he said had been confirmed by doctors in Wales. He also stated that he had never had children with his first wife, who is now deceased, nor with his second wife.

Brendan Grogan SC, representing O’Brien, argued that his client had led a life of work and had no prior criminal record. The case has left the community and the victim’s family devastated. Friends and family gathered around the young girl yesterday afternoon, offering her comfort amid the emotional aftermath. When asked about the prison sentence, one family member responded, “We have nothing to say, we’ve been through so much at this stage.”