June 1999 Man sentenced to four years for abusing girls A fisherman from west Cork who sexually abused four girls over 15 years was yesterday jailed for four years. Joseph O’Neill (45), from Myross, Union Hall, Co Cork, had pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to seven counts of indecent assault on the girls between 1970 and 1985. He apologised to his victims yesterday in court and said he had no idea at the time what a damaging effect it would have on them later in life.