Paedophile ex-boxer chased boy (9) down alley and sexually assaulted him please log in to view this image Pictured in 2011 A former Commonwealth Games boxer sexually assaulted a nine-year-old boy after chasing him down an alley in north Belfast, a court heard yesterday. Ciaran James McAuley, who at the time of the offence was living at a hostel on the city’s Victoria Street, targeted the boy on the afternoon of August 9 last year. The 27-year-old, who has a sports coaching degree, admitted a single charge of sexually assaulting the youngster. The assault happened in the New Lodge area of the city after the youngster had attended a local funfair. Belfast Crown Court heard that since the offence McAuley, who is facing separate charges alleging contact with a young boy on Facebook, had accepted that his sexual interest towards children was inappropriate. Crown prosecutor Philip Henry said that on August 9 last year the nine-year old victim and his 12-year old friend had been at a local shop after attending a funfair and were walking back to a house when McAuley chased the victim down an alleyway close to his house. Mr Henry said McAuley grabbed the child, forced him to the ground and then sexually assaulted him. The victim’s friend was able to flee the alleyway and raise the alarm with an adult. Mr Henry told the court: “The injured party, as a result of being on the ground, was quite upset and shouting, but when the alarm was raised by his friend the defendant ran off.” During the incident the youngster struggled with his attacker, resulting in minor scrapes and bruises. Mr Henry concluded by saying that last August’s incident has had a “substantial affect” on the victim. McAuley fled the scene, and when police arrived they were given a description of the man. Ten days later two women who knew the victim’s family saw a man matching the description. After they contacted a third person, McAuley was confronted. Police were then called and the defendant was arrested in a chip shop. Despite being identified by the victim, McAuley initially denied the offence during interviews with the police. However, he later pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the youngster. Defence barrister Joel Linsday acknowledged that the “snatch and grab” incident had been a “horrific experience” for the young victim. Outlining McAuley’s background, Mr Lindsay said his client had secured three A-levels, obtained a degree in sports coaching, and was also a boxer who competed in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. The defendant’s downfall, the barrister said, could be traced back to when he started taking drugs, which led to a fall-out with his parents and a period of homelessness that resulted in his client “moving around” in hostel accommodation. Claiming that McAuley was a “young man struggling with his sexuality”, Mr Linsday said that before the attack his client had smoked cannabis and watched pornography on the internet and added that “for some mad moment” McAuley decided “I have seen this on the internet, so why can’t I do that?” The barrister also said McAuley now recognised his “sexual interest towards children was inappropriate”, adding he would be “willing to engage in work to address these deficits”. Judge Kerr QC remanded the defendant back in to custody and informed him he would be sentenced next Wednesday.
We play against Poland in Nice next June. Depending how we all get on on the 28th, we should go to that game too