A businessman from County Derry has been jailed after admitting a series of indecent assaults on a 15‑year‑old part‑time employee in his business premises, a court heard. William Brown, aged 64 and from Loves Road, Magherafelt, pleaded guilty to five charges of indecently assaulting the girl on dates between 8 August 2005 and 2 January 2007.
Offences, reporting and police interviews
The complainant reported the abuse to police on 25 October 2022 and was formally interviewed on 29 November 2022. The defendant was interviewed by officers on 25 January 2024; he initially denied the allegations but later entered guilty pleas to all five counts, the prosecution said.
- Offences took place between 8 August 2005 and 2 January 2007.
- Victim reported the matter to police on 25 October 2022.
- Victim interviewed by police on 29 November 2022; defendant interviewed on 25 January 2024.
Court description of the abuse
In a statement to detectives, the complainant said she had been employed part time in the defendant’s business. On one occasion, the court heard, the defendant approached her from behind and grabbed her breasts over her clothing before moving his hand beneath her tracksuit bottoms and sexually assaulting her several times. On another occasion, when the girl was bent over a pallet within the premises, the defendant pulled down his trousers and attempted to sexually assault her.
“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 drew attention to those factors as aggravating: the age gap between the defendant and the victim, the employment relationship and the sustained nature of the offending.
Impact on the victim and defendant’s account
The victim set out the personal consequences of the abuse in a Victim Personal Statement supplied to the court. Addressing the defendant, she wrote:
“this ate away at me more than you can imagine”.She added that the offences had “totally changed the outlook of my life for the worst.”
Defence counsel accepted the factual account given by the complainant and told the court that the defendant expressed remorse. Counsel said the defendant had become isolated and estranged from family, friends and his community, losing his home and other aspects of ordinary life. He was described in court as having been assessed as posing a low likelihood of re‑offending.
Sentencing at Derry Crown Court
The case was heard before Judge Roseanne McCormick KC at Derry Crown Court, where the guilty pleas were entered and the sentencing imposed. Further detail of the sentence was given in court proceedings.
| Key dates | Event |
|---|---|
| 8 Aug 2005 – 2 Jan 2007 | Period during which offences took place |
| 25 Oct 2022 | Victim reported offences to police |
| 29 Nov 2022 | Victim interviewed by police |
| 25 Jan 2024 | Defendant interviewed by police |
Sexual offences involving young people and breaches of trust by those in positions of authority continue to be matters of profound concern in local communities. The case has underlined both the lasting harm suffered by victims and the time it can take for historic abuse to be reported and investigated.
Local support services and specialist victim care organisations can provide assistance to anyone affected by sexual violence. The court record in this case makes clear the seriousness with which the criminal justice system treated the allegations once they were reported and prosecuted.
The reporting of the proceedings and the victim’s statement reflect a judicial process that aimed to balance the presentation of evidence with sensitivity to the complainant’s experience, while the defence acknowledged the factual narrative and said the defendant expressed regret.
The sentencing at Derry Crown Court marks the conclusion of the criminal proceedings in this matter; the case will remain a reminder of the need for safeguarding and vigilance where children and young people work in local enterprises.
