JOHN RING ESCAPES PRISON TIME IN GALWAY AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE

Vile individual John Ring, brother of Minister Michael Ring, restrained a young girl in a Galway shop by her neck and forcibly groped her from behind. Despite earlier sentencing considerations, Ring, 49, narrowly avoided prison after ultimately admitting to sexually assaulting the girl, a Transition Year student, during his trial in December 2015. The incident occurred in July 2014 when the girl had just turned 17. She was working in a north Co Galway shop when Ring called her to the back under the pretence of seeking alcohol. There, he pinned her in a corner by her neck and groped her roughly from behind. Galway Circuit Criminal Court was told that the girl required counselling following the attack and now experiences anxiety around people, especially men who come too close. During his first sentencing hearing in March 2016, Ring, a bread delivery man from Castlebar, Co Mayo, was told he faced a potential four-year prison term. It was emphasized, however, that his participation in counselling would influence how the sentence was ultimately served. Over the subsequent 20 months, hearings revealed that he was working on addressing his sexual deviancy. Defence lawyer Diarmuid Connolly requested that the final sentence be settled “in ease of everyone,” noting that the latest probation report stated Ring was “genuinely trying to change his behaviour.” Judge Rory McCabe decided a deterrent sentence was appropriate and sentenced Ring to four years in prison, but suspended this for five years on the condition of good behaviour.