Midlands couple jailed after husband recorded wife having sex with their son

SENTENCES of nine-and-a-half years each have been imposed on a husband and wife for the defilement and sexual exploitation of their 15-year-old son.

Judge Sinead McMullan imposed the sentences at Tullamore Circuit Court today (October 10) after a sentencing hearing on Tuesday was told the boy's father used his phone to record his wife having sex with the teenager twice on the same day.

Judge McMullan said the offences involved a huge breach of trust and abuse of power by the mother, now aged 37, and the father, who is 35.

“Clearly you cannot think of a greater breach of trust,” said the judge.

The offences had occurred in the parents' bedroom and Judge McMullan said the victim was entitled to feel safe in his home but that had been “violated in a most egregious manner”.

The judge noted the teenager had complied with the request to have sex with his mother because he was afraid he would be hit.

She said video recording the act was a huge aggravating factor and increased the degradation.

The bedroom door had been closed and locked and there was certainly an element of deliberation in what had been done.

The victim had been forced to flee his family home on a dark winter's night and cycle to his friend's house to tell what happened.

The judge said there was a “level of depravity” in the offences that is “truly difficult to comprehend”.

She set the headline sentence for defilement at 12 years and reduced it to nine-and-a-half years with mitigation.

The maximum sentence for sexual exploitation is life and Judge McMullan set the headline sentence at 12 years but also reduced it to nine-and-a-half years with mitigation.

The only compelling mitigating factors were early pleas of guilty but they were tempered by probation reports which indicated both parents had limited remorse and insight into what they had done.

Both accused were also sentenced to four years for child cruelty and the father was sentenced to six years for aiding and abetting and six years for the production of child pornography. All the sentences are to run concurrently.

Neither of the accused can be named in order to protect the identity of the victim who was put in the care of Tusla after he reported the incident which occurred in the Midlands on January 12, 2024.

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Judge McMullan said there had been an error during the sentencing hearing when it was said the victim was 16 on the date of the offences. He was actually 15 and is now aged 17.

The sentencing hearing was told he had been asked to go up to his parents' bedroom on the afternoon of the offences where he had sexual intercourse with his mother.

There was a similar incident about nine hours later with what the judge said was the “important distinction” that it was recorded by the father on a mobile phone.

What was found on the mobile phone was very corroborative of what the victim had told specialist garda interviewers.

Both parents denied the allegations “completely” when they were questioned, even when the videos were shown to them but the judge still took into account their early pleas of guilt.

Both of the accused were drug users and the mother said she had previously been sexually abused herself. She had a long history of depression and suicidal ideation.

The father previously had a cancer diagnosis and had an operation which was life altering.

A report prepared for the court indicated the man said all of the offending was his idea and due to his medical issues he wanted his son to engage in sexual intercourse with his wife.

The sentencing hearing was told the man's prostate and bladder had been previously removed and functioning of a sexual nature was significantly affected.

Judge McMullan emphasised that there were no grounds for suspending any portion of the sentence.  Neither of the accused had relevant previous convictions.

She wished the victim well, saying he was an intelligent and articulate person and any fallout from the offending was as a result of the actions of his parents.