June 2014

85-year-old found to have sexually abused young boys

An 85-year-old man has been found to have sexually abused young boys more than 30 years ago when he was in his 50s and one of his victims was just 10 or 11.

Ivan Carson of Letterbreen, Enniskillen, appeared at Dungannon Crown Court on 14 charges of indecently assaulting the children.

He initially pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, however the court subsequently decided the elderly pensioner was “under a disability” and therefore unfit to stand trial.

The jury was therefore told that its role was not to decide on whether Carson was guilty or innocent but whether or not he committed the sexual abuse described in the charges.

Carson faced 10 charges of indecently assaulting one of the boys between February 26, 1978, when the child was just 10 or 11, and February 28, 1983, when he was 14.

After hearing the evidence the jury found that Carson had sexually abused the boy in the way described in the charges.

Carson faced a further four charges of indecently assaulting a second boy between August 31, 1978, and July 7, 1981, when the child was between the ages of 12 and 14.

The jury found that the pensioner had sexually abused the boy as described in three of the charges but not in relation to the fourth charge.

The case has echoes of the McDermott brothers who sexually abused children in Donagh, near Lisnaskea, for 30 years. James and Owen Roe McDermott were deemed unfit to stand trial by reason of their mental disability however a jury found that they had committed the acts referred to in the charges. They were given Treatment and Supervision Orders.

The judge will decide what to do with Carson when the pensioner appears at Dungannon Crown Court on June 24.

In the meantime Carson has been ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.