MAN JAILED FOR SEXUALLY ASSAULTING EIGHT-YEAR-OLD GIRL
Stephen Fox (32) of Glendale Drive, Letterkenny appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court before Judge John Aylmer for sentencing.Fox was charged with two counts of sexual assaulting the girl in County Donegal.
The victim in the case indicated to the court that she wishes to retain her right to anonymity but wanted Fox to be named.
At the time of the offence, the girl was eight years old while Fox was 16.
Judge John Aylmer said the first count of sexual assault was the most serious and it clearly had a negative and psychological impact on the victim.
He said the second offence was less evasive but was equally serious.
Judge Aylmer said Fox was significantly older than the victim and it was a “grave breech of trust”.
The court initially sentenced Fox to six years for the most serious offence and four years for the second.
However, considering his immaturity, psychiatric reports described him as immature and displaying autistic symptoms, and he was assessed as having Asperger's Syndrome, the sentences were reduced to three years and two years.
In mitigation, Fox entered a late guilty plea, which spared the victim from a trial and cross-examination.
Fox showed remorse and victim empathy, has no previous convictions, and has not come to Garda attention since the offences.
The judge noted there was no evidence of paedophilic interests and he is in the low to moderate range for reoffending.
The court decided to suspend the final periods of the sentences to promote rehabilitation, and Fox was ordered to remain under probation supervision and comply with sex offenders' regulations.
Fox wept after the sentence was handed down.
