ANTHONY CHEASTY FROM CO WATERFORD SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING 16-YEAR-OLD GIRL
In April 2012, a serious case of sexual misconduct involving a bus driver from Co Waterford came to light, leading to a significant legal consequence for the offender.Anthony Cheasty, aged 49 and a resident of Ferrybank in Co Waterford, was convicted of engaging in sexual activities with a 16-year-old girl and subsequently sentenced to prison.
Cheasty, who was employed as a bus driver for Bus Éireann, was found guilty of having sexual relations with the underage girl on three separate occasions in 2008 at different locations around Co Waterford.
The court heard that the girl, who was only 16 at the time, had developed a crush on Cheasty, which she expressed through a handwritten note she passed to him.
In her note, she admitted her feelings and also acknowledged their age difference, even suggesting that their relationship might be illegal.
This note was discovered by her brother, who then reported the matter to the Gardaí, the Irish police.
Waterford Circuit Criminal Court was informed that Cheasty had exchanged explicit texts and photographs with the girl, further complicating the case.
The court also learned that Cheasty had paid the girl €5,000 as compensation, a gesture that underscored the severity of the misconduct.
As a result of his actions, Cheasty lost his job and faced social ostracism within his community.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Cheasty cooperated fully with law enforcement authorities from the outset, providing full assistance during police investigations.
He also issued a formal apology to the girl and her family, expressing regret for his actions.
Cheasty admitted that he should have reported the initial note to his superiors and assured that such an incident would never happen again.
During the sentencing, Judge Gerard Griffin condemned Cheasty for exploiting the girl’s youth and innocence for his own sexual gratification.
The judge pointed out that Cheasty could have known the girl’s age, as her date of birth was printed on her bus ticket, which was accessible to him.
The court sentenced Cheasty to three years in prison for each of the three counts of defilement, with all sentences to run concurrently.
Additionally, the judge suspended the final 18 months of the sentence, and Cheasty was ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the impact on the victim.
