A 37-year-old man found guilty of sexual assaulting a teenager in Sligo three years ago has been jailed for six years.
Last month, a jury at Sligo Circuit Court found Ziaullhaq Safi of Market Yard, Sligo guilty of sexual assault and of sexual exploitation in April 2023.
The trial lasted three weeks.
Judge Roderick Maguire said it was a serious and sustained sexual assault, carried out on a vulnerable child under the influence of alcohol.
The court heard how the teenager had met friends of the days of the incident in Sligo.
The court heard they saw a man standing beside a gate, who beckoned them into an alleyway.
The victim later attended a sexual assault treatment unit.
Photographs and CCTV was provided as evidence in the trial, which heard from 13 witnesses
The court heard the victim felt unsafe, scared and nervous.
'He stole my innocence'
In a victim impact statement read out by Detective Garda Kieran Higgins at Sligo Circuit Court last month, the woman said she wanted the court to understand how it changed her life
She said she could not sleep, had flashbacks, nightmares and suicidal thoughts following the sexual assault and was left to pick up the pieces.
"He didn't just commit a crime, he stole my innocence," Sligo Circuit Criminal Court heard.
A specialist interview was conducted by gardaí, while the complainant did not attend today's sentencing.
At sentencing today at Mullingar Circuit Court, Judge Roderick Maguire said the child assaulted was in fear of being kidnapped, raped or killed and the degree of intrusion was very significant.
He said the assault which happened "behind closed doors" was not planned but force was used and the victim was very young and vulnerable.
He said there was limited mitigation and Ziaullhaq Safi still denied what happened.
He noted however the man had no previous convictions and had difficult personal and family circumstances.
The court heard how as a teacher in Afghanistanm, he had been persecuted by the Taliban and had to flee the country.
He had come to live in Ireland with his family and had worked since he arrived, the court heard.
Ziaullhaq Safi has five children, aged from 16 years to five years and his wife is pregnant with twins, who is supporting him.
Taking all factors into consideration, Judge Maguire sentenced Ziaullhaq Safi to six years in prison for the sexual assault of the teenager and four years and three months for the charge of sexual exploitation.
The sentences will run concurrently, Judge Maguire said.
Judge Roderick Maguire also noted that alcohol had been served to an underage person at three named licensed premises on that day in Sligo.
He said gardaí may wish to consider that, when these licensed premises go to renew their licences.
