REGINALD ARNOLD FROM TOGHER, CORK, SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC ABUSE OF STEPDAUGHTER IN CORK

In January 2021, a disturbing case involving Reginald Arnold, a man from Togher, Cork, who committed heinous acts of sexual abuse and attempted rape against his young stepdaughter, came to light. Arnold, who had a long history of alcohol abuse and prior convictions dating back to the 1970s, was responsible for a series of sickening assaults on the girl, beginning when she was just 12 years old, the same year he married her mother.

During his 2014 trial, the court heard harrowing details of the abuse. The victim, who chose to waive her right to anonymity to allow Arnold to be publicly identified, described a series of traumatic incidents. She recounted how Arnold would touch her private parts after giving her a ten-euro note, telling her to be a good girl. On another occasion, while they were watching television together, Arnold removed his trousers and underwear and forced her to masturbate him. The girl also described an attempted rape in 2009, when she was 14, during which Arnold told her, “I’m going to ride you.” The attack was interrupted when Arnold heard two knocks at the front door, halting his assault.

Further incidents included Arnold tying her wrists with a belt taken from her wardrobe, pulling her arms over her head, and pulling down her clothes and underwear. He then sat and looked at her for five minutes before untying her and leaving, leaving her in a state of extreme fear. The court was told that Arnold would sexually assault her whenever he believed he could get away with it, often molesting her when he thought no one was watching.

Following a four-day trial, a jury found Arnold guilty of four counts of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape, all committed at his home between April 2008 and August 2010. He was also convicted of restricting the personal liberty of a child for sexual exploitation. The judge at the time noted Arnold’s lack of remorse and sentenced him to 11 years in prison, with the final two years suspended on the condition that he comply with Probation Services.

Arnold’s criminal history includes convictions for burglaries and assaults, and he has struggled with alcohol abuse from an early age. His sentencing was challenged, but in March 2016, the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against both conviction and sentence. The appellate judges emphasized that Arnold’s plea of not guilty limited the scope for mitigation and that the original sentence was within the appropriate range.

Most recently, in June 2014, Arnold was sentenced to nine years for the attempted rape and repeated sexual assaults of his stepdaughter. The court detailed how he tied her to a bed with a belt and sexually assaulted her multiple times. The victim, now an adult, described how she continues to suffer from nightmares, fear, and a loss of trust in men. She expressed that she was once a happy child but has been forever scarred by Arnold’s actions, stating, “I will never get over this, this will stay with me forever.”

After serving his sentence, Arnold was released from custody this week. When approached by reporters from the Sunday World, a young man claiming to be a close relative intervened, dismissing questions and warning others not to follow Arnold. Arnold, frail and shuffling, returned to his car, seemingly prepared to restart his life after prison, despite the grave crimes he committed against his young stepdaughter in Cork.