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A MAN HAS been jailed for 18 months for carrying on a sexual relationship with his step-sister which began when she was 12 and he was 16.
Russell Ward (23) was charged with four counts of defilement of the girl resulting from regular sexual intercourse between the two when the girl would stay in her father’s Dublin home at weekends.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the girl developed a crush on Ward and that he initially told her nothing could happen between them. However he later started having sex with her. “She never said no because she liked Mr Ward and wanted him to like her back,” the prosecution said.
Ward of Shrewsbury Road, Shankill, Dublin pleaded guilty to four counts of defilement at his home between 2009 and 2011.
At the sentencing hearing the now 19-year-old victim said that Ward “has stolen all my teenage years” and that she had self-harmed and attempted suicide on several occasions. She said she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered from anxiety and depression.
She told Judge Martin Nolan that she had to isolate herself from everyone else, especially her family and that she became distant from her friends because she had to grow up so much faster than them.
“I’m never going to not struggle with this,” she said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get over it.”
Judge Nolan said that “the striking characteristic of the case is the youth of both parties”. He noted there was no force involved in the sexual activity but that the girl was unable to give consent because of her age.
“Mr Ward is well capable of leading a good and useful life but I must punish him for what he did,” the judge said, adding that it might have been open to him to impose a non-custodial sentence if the sex had stopped when Ward was 16 or 17.
But he continued after that when he must have known that what he was doing was grossly reprehensible and extremely wrong.
Judge Nolan imposed a four year sentence with the final two and a half suspended. He ordered Ward to undergo 18 months post-release supervision and that he be registered as a sex offender. At the request of the victim, Judge Nolan also removed restrictions on publishing Ward’s identity.
Garda Alan O’Connell told prosecuting counsel Anne Rowland BL that Ward and the victim were close and that when she was ten or eleven she sent him a note telling him she had a crush on him.
Ward came to her and told her it was a “bad situation.” Her mother later found the note and warned her that “it wasn’t on.”
However over the next few years the two became closer. Ward would put his hand around her and stroke her thigh and she was “constantly trying to get his attention and hang around with him.”
One night on holidays they began playing “strip blackjack” at Ward’s suggestion. This led to the first instance of sexual contact which involved digital penetration.
Over the following months Ward had vaginal, oral and anal sex with the girl. On some occasions she was in so much pain she wanted to cry out but didn’t. From 2010 the sex became more frequent and would happen at least once a month.
During this time the girl’s mother found her journal in which she wrote she had lost her virginity to Ward. The girl told her mother it was a once off and that she initiated the sex. This was to protect Ward, she later told gardaí.
On another occasion Ward came into her room while drunk and said “I’m sorry for what I’ve put you through these last few years”. He then had her perform oral sex on him.
The defilement came to light in 2012 when she made a statement to gardaí. Ward initially denied having sex with her but later entered a guilty plea.
Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC said Ward has a job in a bookmakers and has no other convictions. He submitted that he was a child himself when the abuse started and that he was at a low risk of re-offending.
Counsel added that Ward had started group therapy and wanted to write an apology letter to the victim.
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Wish I found something like that in my attic
A great museum well worth a visit.
Excellent, got to be one of his best that I have seen, that’s my opinion and taste.
Norway eh, not so long ago they were poor, now they have too much money to know what to do with and Van Goughs stuffed in the attic.
Paintings that is, Not the family.
good stuff
It’s beautiful
True, Declan. I’m not a huge fan of some of his most famous work but this one appeals to me greatly.
Are they sure it’s not fake? It’s not very good is it?
It’s an absolutely amazing painting, will see it later this year
Good for u . Hopefully we will all have time to devote to such activities – as they are as necessary as food itself .
” What is this life if full of care
we have not time to stand and stare ”
The original owner bought it ten years after it was supposedly painted. He says it was a forgery. I would tend to believe him. Why did he think that. He was a collector so he would have known what he had bought.
Looks like a kid painted that
moron
Hmm! I wonder why this wasn’t authenticated years ago. There are 50million+ reasons why this painting has been ” authenticated”. Seems a bit fishy to me.
The brush strokes look almost too van Gogh, and the palette is not quite right. But then, no one asked me. And I would authenticate mouse droppings for art if I got a share ins 50milllion windfall.
Thing is art is false economy but a very gpod false economy. Its almost celebrity orientated this goes from 50 euro up to 50 million cos of his name. Could not sell a painting when alive. I see amaxing talent in local artists. Had their paintings had a famous name attached then it goes up to stupid money.
Sure id take 50m for it but looking at it honestly id offer 100 eurp for it max to have it over fireplace
And may i ask how you came to this conclusion without seeing the work?
You may. I have an iMac large screen computer with a zoom. Had a good look and made a general observation. Not a conclusion as I would have to be an ” expert” for that with a 50million motive, not just a run of the mill BFA.
Point taken
Oh, you zoomed in with your iMac? Please tell me more about how you spent over a thousand on a computer that is really worth half that, while you discuss the price you feel this painting should be.
€1300 actually.
have your say