A former deputy mayor of Derry was jailed for 4 years at present for historic intercourse abuse in opposition to a younger woman.
James McKeever — who was suspended from the SDLP when the sexual offences got here to mild — was discovered responsible by a jury in Could of eight costs.
The 64-year-old, from Tamneyreagh Park in Eglinton, stood trial at Belfast Crown Court docket on seven counts of indecently assaulting a younger woman, and two counts of gross indecency with or in direction of a baby.
The offences spanned over a interval from August 1981 to December 1988 when she was aged between eight and 14.
The previous Derry and Strabane councillor, who collectively together with his spouse fostered round 50 youngsters, denied all offences — however was discovered unanimously responsible of 9 costs by a jury of six males and 6 girls.
Throughout the trial the complainant, who's now 47, stated the abuse she suffered as a baby by McKeever primarily concerned sexual touching.
She recalled incidents in homes in and round Derry within the 80s and likewise spoke of being abused in Desmond's Manufacturing unit the place McKeever used to hire an workplace.
Throughout at present's sentencing, it emerged that McKeever nonetheless maintains his innocence — regardless of the jury's verdicts.
Decide Donna McColgan KC spoke of the affect McKeever's offending has had upon the complainant, and stated: “She has made each effort to have a look at the positives in her life however the emotions and reminiscences of what occurred in her childhood will at all times be together with her.”
The Decide stated that while there have been a number of aggravating components — such because the extended interval the abuse occurred — the one mitigating options had been McKeever's “earlier good character and his work locally.”
In addition to handing McKeever a four-year sentence, Decide McColgan additionally positioned him on the Intercourse Offenders Register for an indefinite interval.