Woman raped by father as child hopes case will give others courage to tell their story

A 22-year-old woman from Buncrana, County Donegal, has delivered a powerful victim impact statement at the Central Criminal Court following her father's conviction on charges of rape and sexual assault. Michael Carter, aged 55, was found guilty last month of one count of rape and 25 counts of sexual assault against his daughter between 2010 and 2014, when she was aged nine to twelve years old. During sentencing proceedings, the woman described her journey from shame and isolation to acceptance and survival. She expressed hope that her decision to waive anonymity would encourage others in similar circumstances to come forward. Carter maintains his innocence and does not accept the jury verdict. Ms Justice Karen O'Connor adjourned the case to determine the final sentence, with the Director of Public Prosecutions recommending a headline sentence of ten to fifteen years due to the age disparity, breach of trust, and pattern of offending.