A 59-YEAR-OLD man has been found guilty of multiple historic sexual offences against a child which occurred in the Fermanagh area around 40 years ago.

Ronan Farrell, a broadcast engineer from Laurelgrove Dale, Belfast, denied nine counts of indecently assaulting the male child over various dates between 1982 and 1984, but after a trial lasting just over a week, the jury unanimously convicted on seven counts.

Verdicts were unable to be reached on the remaining matters.

Dungannon Crown Court sitting in Newry heard Farrell was aged about 20 at the time and worked in the same Co. Fermanagh business as the victim’s father.

Sometimes the child would accompany his father to work in the mornings before heading off to his school, which was close by.

On these days he would wait in one of the offices used by Farrell whom the victim accepted he found to be “cool” by the way he dressed and because he had an impressive watch and a Swiss Army Knife.

It was here Farrell began to talk to him about pictures of women he had on the walls of his office and had what the victim called “soft-porn magazines".

The abuse began when Farrell kissed the boy on the lips and he recalled the taste of cigarettes.

On another occasion, Farrell again kissed him and touched his genitals.

The level of abuse increased to Farrell carrying out sexual acts on the boy and having him engage in oral sex.

The abuse stopped when Farrell moved away from the area to another job, however, he was frequently back in Fermanagh, socialising in the same places he always did.

The victim told no one of the abuse and he tried to block it from his mind.

It would be some 40 years later after an incident in a pub that the victim made his first disclosure of what he had endured.

He was accustomed to seeing Farrell drinking in Fermanagh pubs although didn’t interact with him.

However, one evening comment was made in a general discussion on the subject of sexual abuse and the owner of the pub noticed the victim became distressed.

Such was her concern she offered to drive him home and along the way, the complainant disclosed what he alleged had occurred while he was a child.

He decided to report the matter to police and Farrell was arrested and charged.

In evidence, while Farrell recalled the victim occasionally being in the workplace he insisted he never had any contact with him.

He confirmed knowing his father in the workplace but knew little about the victim or his siblings.

Farrell said while he did smoke for a short time in his mid-twenties it was not while he worked in Fermanagh and it had a strict no smoking policy.

He accepted having a watch but there was nothing special about it and never had a Swiss Army Knife.

When asked why he thought the victim would make up the claims of abuse, Farrell said he had no idea and was shocked when the allegations were put to him.

He confirmed there was never any ill-will against the victim or his family as described the father whom he worked with as “a jolly man".

Farrell also confirmed seeing the complainant in pubs when he would be socialising over the years but never spoke to him.

He said at no point did the pub owner to whom the victim made the disclosure ever confront him about what she had been told.

The allegations came as a total shock and he couldn’t believe what was being claimed, he told the court.

After six days of evidence, Judge Fiona Bagnall summed up the case and asked the jury to retire to commence deliberations.

As the day wore on it was decided to send the jury home for the day and resume today (Wednesday) and after a further 90 minutes an indication was received of verdicts.

Farrell was found guilty on seven of the charges, but the jury was unable to reach unanimous or majority verdicts on the remaining two counts and was acquitted of these.

As pre-sentence reports were ordered the defence requested Farell to be permitted to remain on bail, pointing out there had been full compliance at all times.

Judge Bagnall agreed and listed sentencing to take place in June.

In the meantime, Farrell was ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register and the duration of how long he will remain on this will be decided at sentencing.