Bar owner sexually assaulted a teenager

John Gaile (52), of Ballymadigan Terrace, Castlerock, the owner of a Magilligan bar, pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual assault between June 2011 and August 2012. It was alleged that he sexually assaulted the teenage girl as she lay in her bed.

The Crown Court was told the 16-year-old victim had been to a funeral along with her mother, Gaile and other friends and got a mini bus back to Gaile’s bar and the girl stayed there for a while before walking home. She woke up in the early hours of the morning to find Gaile in her room. He sat on the bed and began touching her chest and tried to kiss her.

She ‘squirmed’ away but Gaile touched her under her pyjama bottoms and gave her a love bite on her neck.

She got out of bed and went into the living room until he left the house.

The girl also reported an incident which happened a few months before this in which Gaile had touched her chest when she was in a passenger in a car.

The court was told the injured party has been affected by the incidents, but has managed to move on with her life.

Arthur Harvey, QC, defending, said his client accepted he should never have been involved in any contact with the teenager and on this night he judgement left him because of the alcohol consumed’.

Judge Philip Babington adjourned sentence.