A businessman from Co. Derry who sexually abused his fifteen years old part time employee in his business premises has been jailed at Derry Crown Court.

William Brown (64) from Loves Road in Magherafelt in Co. Derry, had pleaded guilty to five charges of indecently assaulting the girl on dates between August 8, 2005 and January 2, 2007.

A prosecution barrister told Judge Roseanne McCormick, King’s Counsel, how the victim had reported the abuse to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on October 25, 2022. She was then formally interviewed by the police on November 29, 2022, Derry Crown Court heard on Friday.

Her abuser was interviewed by the police on January 25, 2024. He initially denied the allegations but later pleaded guilty to all of the five offences, the court was told.

placeholder image — Bishop Street Courthouse

In her statement to detectives, the complainant said that she had an after school job in the defendant's business, the court heard.

On one occasion the defendant approached her from behind and grabbed her breasts over her clothing.

The court heard she stated he then proceeded to move his hand underneath her tracksuit bottoms and digitally penetrated her vagina several times.

The prosecution told the court that on another occasion when the complainant was bent over a pallet in the premises the defendant pulled down his trousers and attempted to penetrate her vagina with his penis.

"The aggravating factors in this case are that at the time the injured party was fifteen years old and the defendant was forty-three years old. He was her employer and in a position of power and the abuse occurred over a period of time", the prosecution barrister said.

Defence barrister John Kearney, King’s Counsel, told Derry Crown Court that he accepted that the victim in the case had acted with great fortitude and that he did not take issue with any of the factual matters.

He told the court that the defendant was now isolated and estranged from his family, friends and community.

"He has lost everything, his house, his home, he lives in a caravan on his home site and has lost the banality of everyday life", the defence barrister stated.

Mr. Kearney further told Derry Crown Court that Brown, who has been assessed as a low likelihood re-offender, apologised to his victim and that he deeply regretted his actions towards her.

In her Victim Personal Statement, the victim, addressing Brown directly, wrote: “This ate away at me more than you can imagine. You have totally changed the outlook of my life for the worst.”

The statement added: “Your actions have changed my life for the worse and forever and you will never truly understand the impact you have had on me.”

Describing Brown's abuse as highly culpable, Judge McCormick jailed the paedophile for a total period of three years.

This will be followed by one year of probation supervision. The Crown Court judge also placed the convicted child abuser on the Sex Offender's Register for an indefinite period.