A former Co Armagh publican has been jailed for a second time for repeatedly sexually assaulting a schoolboy in a pubin the early 1980s.
Gerard Judge, 63, of Millbrook Court in Lurgan, was convicted of six counts of indecent assault and one of attempted buggery against his victim, all committed on dates between April 2 1980 and April 1, 1983.
He was jailed for seven years today at Craigavon Crown Court.
Judge had previously been convicted and jailed for five years back in 2015 for the offences against the then 14-year-old boy.
However, those convictions were quashed by the Court of Appeal in 2017 before he was again found guilty at trial last month.
Prior to today’s sentencing the prosecution briefly outlined the facts of the case, which including Judge rubbing himself against the schoolboy, as well as inappropriate touching, masturbating and other sexual acts.
A number of these incidents took place in a Portadown bar which the defendant owned at the time. The incidents also included the screening of pornographic movies in the upstairs bar.
The most serious involved an attempt by judge to bugger the young boy.
Defence counsel outline how his client had gone on to get married, have children and run a successful business and that there were no suggestions of any repeat behaviour of this nature.
Judge Patrick Lynch QC took a dim view of the, slamming judge as a sexual predator who had no remorse for what he had done – something that had a profound effect on the victim’s life.
A spokesperson for NSPCC Northern Ireland said: “Judge’s victim went through a horrific ordeal at the hands of this sexual predator and then had to live with the memory of this terrible experience for more than three decades.
“It is vital he now receives all the support he needs, while we hope that Judge’s conviction and imprisonment serves as a reminder that anyone who has been abused, no matter how much time has passed, can come forward and secure justice.”
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