Autistic Man Admits to Sexually Assaulting 5-Year-Old

An autistic man has been sentenced to a four-year suspended jail sentence in Ireland after sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl, the Irish Examiner reports.

The man, who was 18 years old at the time of the offense in April 2016, made full and immediate admissions about the incident, according to police and Judge Seán Ó'Donnabháin.

"He pleaded guilty at the first opportunity. He came forward on a signed plea of guilty. All of that must have been a reassurance to the victim's family, who were always aware there would not have to be a trial," Ó'Donnabháin said. "The plea of guilty is a public acknowledgement that he is wrong, he is guilty and no blame attaches to anyone else."

The incident occurred when the girl's caretaker left the her in the care of her 18-year-old autistic son. The girl's mother told the court she was concerned when she was informed the childminder had to leave her daughter in the care of her teenage son while she attended to another youngster that day.

"My gut fears and my worst nightmare (later) came true," she said. "I have now unashamedly lost all trust in teenage boys."

The incident came to light when the girl later told her parents what happened.

"She said he pulled down her underwear and pulled down his own underwear and touched her vagina," Det. Sgt. Sean Leahy said.

Irish police say the man was totally cooperative and gave details of what happened when they approached and questioned him. He reportedly said, "When you are around someone for so long, they are friends and you forget they are a child."

"The victim appears to be doing OK," Ó'Donnabháin said. "Her parents are full of worry about how the world would develop for the child. Events in the case were so singular that a repeat is very unlikely."

"The defendant is on the autistic spectrum. He is vulnerable and very naive and particularly inadequate in social settings, the judge continued. "It is reported that he is of low risk of re-offending."

"He does have insight into the crime. He is remorseful. He has not come to the attention of [Irish police] since. He would be a bad candidate for custody," Ó'Donnabháin said.

The victim's mother said it is not the family's intentions for the man, who was not named to protect the identity of the child, to receive a prison sentence.

"It is 100pc our preference for [him] to get intervention supports and not a custodial sentence," she told the Independent.

The victim's mother said she thinks the young girl is coping well.

"I think she is OK now," she said. "It is only one year down the road. Based on other people's experience, there might be some impact. She has not opened up about anything since."