Man jailed for sexual assault on sleeping friend

A musician has been sentenced to nine months in prison for sexually assaulting a now former friend as she slept in an armchair at his house.

Michael Faherty (65), who now lives in Wales, was renting a house in Laurel Park, Newcastle, when he sexually assaulted the woman on April 15, 2014.

He left the jurisdiction a short time later, but was arrested recently on foot of two bench warrants issued at the time by the court and was brought in custody before Galway District Court last week where he pleaded guilty to the charge.

Sergeant Finbarr Philpott said the woman had been friends with Faherty and on the night in question she went to visit him and fell asleep in an armchair.

She woke some time later and noticed her clothing was wet around her groin area, while there were damp patches on her cardigan as well.

The woman confronted Faherty but he denied being the culprit.  She immediately left in a taxi and put the clothes she had been wearing into a bag and brought them to the Garda station the next day.

Forensic tests confirmed they were semen stains.

Sgt Philpott said Faherty denied any involvement and a subsequent investigation was hampered when he left the jurisdiction.

Judge Fahy said Faherty had never any intention of meeting the sexual assault charge voluntarily.

Defence solicitor, Brian Gilmartin said his client suffered from visual impairment now and his wife and son had travelled from Wales to lend their support.

He said Faherty wished to apologise to the victim, who was present in court.

The woman told Judge Fahy she and Faherty had been platonic friends for about five years before this incident.

In reply to Judge Fahy, the woman said she confronted him about the semen stains but he denied any wrongdoing.

“I feel totally betrayed.  I used to be a social person but now I suffer from anxiety and have isolated myself from people. I’ve lost trust in people,” she said.

Judge Fahy sentenced Faherty to nine months in prison for the sexual assault.