DANIEL CLARKE FROM NENAGH AND TIPPERARY JAILED FOR ABUSING DERRY SCHOOLGIRL

In a case that has shocked the community, Daniel Clarke, a 59-year-old man from Silver Street in Nenagh, County Tipperary, has been sentenced to three years in prison for the heinous abuse of a young girl in Derry. The abuse spanned over four years, beginning in 1998 when the victim was just fourteen years old. The court heard that Clarke committed these offences in his residence located on Fountain Hill in the Waterside area of Derry.

Clarke faced multiple charges, including eight counts of indecent assault and three counts of gross indecency with a child. His actions have left a lasting scar on the victim, who is now expecting her second child. During the sentencing hearing, the victim was visibly emotional, weeping as her abuser was led away to serve his sentence.

The court was informed that Clarke had admitted to the charges, providing full and unprompted confessions after traveling from Nenagh to Derry to be questioned by police without legal representation. Despite his admissions, the judge emphasized that Clarke had abused a position of trust, which compounded the severity of his crimes.

Judge Desmond Marrinan highlighted the findings of a Victim Impact Report, which revealed that the young girl had limited parental control due to her family circumstances at the time. The report also confirmed that Clarke exploited his trust and authority over her. The judge acknowledged the suffering endured by the victim but commended her resilience and concern for her family’s well-being amid her disclosures.

In his remarks, Judge Marrinan expressed hope that Clarke feels remorse for his actions, stating, “I trust you feel fully ashamed by what you did.” He also pointed out that, although Clarke appeared remorseful, the typical response to child abuse cases is immediate imprisonment, except in rare and exceptional circumstances. As a result, Clarke was not only sentenced to three years in prison but was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely and disqualified from having any unsupervised contact with children for an indefinite period. This case underscores the ongoing importance of protecting vulnerable children and holding offenders accountable for their actions.