A Kerry woman who sexually abused two young boys has been jailed for two-and-a-half years at the Central Criminal Court.
Josephine McMahon of Railway Road, Kenmare had pleaded guilty to two sample counts of sexually assaulting the two brothers in Kerry on dates between 1992 and 1996.
The boys were aged between four and five and between eight and 12 at the time of the abuse.
The abuse occurred when the boys were visiting the house she lived in.
Ms Justice Karen O’Connor praised them for their extraordinary courage and dignity.
Josephine McMahon, who’s 68, suffers from serious medical difficulties and is a wheelchair user, the Central Criminal Court heard.
Sentencing Ms McMahon today, Ms Justice Karen O’Connor noted that the maximum sentence for the offence at the time is five years.
She said she must take into account a number of mitigating factors including that the woman’s health has seriously deteriorated and that she’ll require dialysis in the coming months.
She handed down a sentence of three-and-a-half years and suspended the final 12 months on a number of conditions.
The judge ordered Josephine McMahon to remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for a further 12 months upon her release.
Ms Justice O’Connor paid tribute to the two complainants, saying they’d demonstrated extraordinary courage and dignity throughout the court process, and she wished them well into the future.
If you're affected by this story, you may contact Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre and One in Four
