This article is from page 17 of the 2007-07-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 17 JPG
A MAN who indecently assaulted three of his granddaughters in Clare- castle when they were aged between six and 12, has been jailed for five years.
Kenneth Barnes (73), a widower, of 42 Church Drive, Clarecastle, plead- ed guilty to 46 counts on indecent assault, at his home, between 1988 and 1993.
Barnes, a native of the UK, has lived in Clarecastle for several years
Judge Carroll Moran said the case was “bad” and said Barnes’ three victims had their “innocence and childhood robbed” by a man in a po- sition of trust – a grandfather.
Barnes’ victims – Rebecca Barnes (25), Jennifer Ward (25) and Caro- line Ward (23) – yesterday waived their right to anonymity, at Ennis Circuit Court.
Although the young women did not give evidence, their Victim Impact Statements were read out in court. They pointed out that they were left
with feelings of “shame and guilt,” due to his behaviour.
Jennifer Ward recalled her grand- father telling her he had a secret he wanted to tell her. He would get close and then indecently touch her. She was abused on a weekly basis for four years, starting when she was 1D.
The abuse on Caroline Ward also started when she was six and con- tinued until she was 12. She recalled him indecently touching her inside and outside her clothes.
Rebecca Barnes suffered abuse at the hands of her grandfather, between the ages of 7 and 11, mainly in the sitting room of his house. The court was told that one of the victim’s par- ents did not make a formal complaint about the abuse initially, in the hope that “time would heal all.”
Barnes’ barrister Michael Fitzgib- bon said his client had “been ostra- cised by the community in Clare- castle”, adding that Barnes is now in “chronic” ill health.
Judge Carroll Moran said, “It re-
ally is appalling to take away the in- nocence of a child at such a young one
“The abuse was so persistent and so dreadful in its details, I’ve no al- ternative but to impose a prison sen- tence,’ he said.
He jailed him for five years and suspended the final two years, be- cause he had pleaded guilty. He said Barnes was to have no contact with children under the age of 15, unless supervised and no contact with his victims, unless they agree.