Serial paedophile Christopher O’Mahony faces further jail time after third victim comes forward

A 68‑year‑old man, Christopher O’Mahony of Kerrykyle, Ardagh, County Limerick, is facing additional imprisonment after pleading guilty to abusing a third child victim.

O’Mahody, already serving a nine‑year sentence for sexually abusing his daughter, Emma O’Shaughnessy, and his sister‑in‑law, Helen Costelloe, was identified at Limerick Circuit Criminal Court as a serial sex offender. The new victim, aged between five and twelve at the time of the abuse in the 1970s, contacted Gardaí after reading media reports of O’Mahony’s earlier crimes.

Details of the abuse

Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley told the court that the victim was first assaulted while asleep, forced to touch O’Mahony’s penis and then subjected to further indecent assault when he attempted to pull down her pyjamas. A second incident occurred when the girl was around eleven or twelve, during which O’Mahony made lewd comments and grabbed her breast.

The victim, who wishes to remain unnamed, suffered serious mental‑health difficulties as a result of the abuse and remained silent for 54 years until the recent media report prompted her to approach the Gardaí.

O’Mahony initially denied the allegations but later pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault. His defence counsel, Patrick Whyms BL, asked the court to consider his age, health issues and prior guilty plea before sentencing. Judge Mary Morrissey remanded him in custody to finalise his sentence on 19 November.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: Mark Stebnicki / Pexels.