June 2007
Disgust as child abuser is spared prison
The father of a boy who was sexually abused by his male babysitter has spoken out about the family’s ordeal.
Ciaran Keegan (22), of Abbey Park, Tynan in Co Armagh, walked free from court on Tuesday after admitting charges of indecent assault and gross indecency dating back seven years.
Keegan admitted gross indecency and indecent assault on one of the boys who was aged six at the time.
He had earlier been sentenced to two years probation for assaulting the boy’s older brother, who was 10, on the same occasion.
He was given a two-year probation order at Armagh Magistrates Court and put on the sex offenders’ register for five years.
His young victim cannot be named. The boy’s father last night described the moment his son told him he had been abused.
“Me and my wife were going away and we thought we might get Keegan to babysit our daughter,” he said.
“For my son, that was the turning point. He felt he had to say something. That was the reason he came and told us.”
The child had kept his suffering secret for years.
He was 10 years old when Keegan, then 15, began abusing him.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I think this was happening. At the time of the abuse, my son had been going though a difficult time and we were happy he had someone befriending him,’’ his father said.
“My children stayed in his house three times. When something like this happens, you question yourself. You’d think you would have a sixth sense about it all.”
Keegan has now been banned from being alone with anyone under 17 years of age, communicating in any way with anyone under that age and participating in any form of sporting activity.
The boy’s father said he was disappointed the case wasn’t before a Crown Court, in which a judge has higher powers of sentencing.
“It is the best thing he could have got under the circumstances. I am delighted with what he got but I know that Maghaberry is the only place for him,’’ he said.
“Listening to all the details in court was very difficult – my wife and I had to walk out at one stage because we couldn’t go through hearing what he had done to our child.”
He said the abuse has left his now 17-year-old son unable to trust people.
“He was taken advantage of by someone he thought was his friend. My son has suffered a lot through this.
“We’re a very educated, sophisticated family and open minded and liberal in our thinking but I am disgusted at him. His only goal is self-preservation.
“Even though he did admit guilt, initially he denied it and said my child was sick in the head. I knew my son was telling the truth.”
Outside court, the boys’ father, said the family felt let down by the judicial system.
He said: “As a father of these boys, I was meant to be their protector and I couldn’t do that when they needed me most.
“When they told me about this, I was shocked and horrified and needed to do something about it and five years of work and family togetherness ended here today with him walking free,”
“I don’t know what that says about the society I live in.”
However, he said he didn’t regret taking the case, adding: “I have great pride in my kids for what they’ve done – what they’ve tried to do – the only right thing to do.
“I have great pride in them and great respect for them; they’re going to grow up to be great adults and fine people” please comment with a heart for the victims of child abuse.
