Vulnerable woman assaulted in her home

The court heard that the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, kissed and touched the woman who suffers from cerebral palsy and a spinal injury, at her home provided by a women’s refuge on January 12 this year.

The victim knew the man as the father of her friend and had herself seen him as a father figure prior to the incident, Londonderry Crown Court was told.

The court heard that while visit ing her in January, he had pulled her towards him and kissed and sexually touched her against her will.

Judge Grant noted that a disturbing feature of the incident was that the man had taken away her walking aid.

He also told her “my wife doesn’t do this any more” during her ordeal. The woman told him to stop a number of times during the incident.

Considering the case Judge Grant said that the aggravating feature was the vulnerability of the victim who had trusted the man and let him into her home.

The judge told the court that the attack had a profound affect on her.

Defence barrister Eoghan Devlin said that there was no denial offered that his client had “intruded” and “violated”.

Mr Devlin said that the man offered his sincere and deep apologies.

“This is a family man with a clear record who has fallen from grace,” said Mr Devlin.

“My client made a full admission at his first police interview and did not at any stage deny the charges against him.”

Mr Devlin also told the court that his client had an IQ of just 75 which marked him as below average intelligence.

“This would suggest that he is not a manipulator,” he said. The man will be sentenced at Londonderry Crown Court on October 21.