A pensioner who sexually assaulted a boy during a camping trip in Waterford in the 1970s has been given a suspended sentence.
The man, who is now aged 73 and cannot be named as it would identify his victim, pleaded guilty to the indecent assault of a teenage boy who was in his care in 1976.
Waterford Circuit Criminal Court heard how the then 14-year-old was assaulted on a camping trip at Cheekpoint in Co Waterford on a date between 1 June and 31 August 1976.
The maximum penalty under the legislation for indecent assault at the time, now known as sexual assault, was two years imprisonment.
The man, who now lives at an address in Co Clare, has paid over €7,500 to his victim by way of compensation.
He can no longer have access to his own grandchildren as he has been placed on the sex offenders' register.
The incident only came to light in 2013 when the victim, who is now aged 54, made a complaint to gardaí in Limerick. The matter was then referred back to gardaí in Waterford.
Garda Adrian Cullen, of Passage East Garda Station, told prosecuting barrister Noel Whelan how a small group of about five or six scouts arrived in Waterford by train in June 1976 and were greeted by their leader, who had driven down.
He then took them to Cheekpoint, over 12 kilometres away, where they set up camp.
The court heard how the man beckoned the young scout over and pulled him into the tent, tickling him.
The boy was then sexually assaulted.
In his victim impact statement, he described how he has been on anti-depressants for the past 28 years as a result of the assault, with nightmares and alcohol having an effect on him. His business suffered as a result of the assault, the court heard.
Garda Cullen explained how, when questioned by the gardaí, the man said that he "might have" touched the boy inappropriately.
"It was different times … that's not much of an excuse," the man said.
Barrister Dermot Sheehan, for the defence, told Judge O'Kelly that his client had to give up studies for his degree at UCC over the stress visited upon him, where he had a letter of commendation from a school, where he was on the board of management.
He resigned from this position once he admitted his crime and has no previous convictions, said Mr Sheehan.
He described the incident as "an isolated incident of many years ago".
"He has asked me to say that he is extremely sorry for what he has done," added Mr Sheehan.
Judge Eugene O'Kelly said he believed that there was "a significant element of remorse" in the case, with a genuine apology and testimonial letters.
He took into account, "in particular", his age, the fact that the assault took place some 40 years ago, along with the fact that it was "a one-off offence".
Handing down sentence, Judge O'Kelly sentenced the man to 20 months in prison but reduced it to 15 due to mitigating circumstances.
He then suspended the remaining 15 months for three years.
