Courts / Waterford / Report
Man jailed for 13 years for "horrific" sexual abuse of nephew and niece
Summary
In Waterford, a 47‑year‑old man was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for sexually abusing his nephew in the 1980s and raping the nephew's sister a decade later. The victims were aged four to five when the abuse began. The abuse was reported after the youngest victim approached Gardaí in 2012, followed by her brother's complaint. The brother explained that he had wanted to come forward sooner but could not find the words, and that the abuse remained secret until his sister spoke out. The sister, who was four when the abuse started, described the lasting impact, including thoughts of suicide, drug and alcohol misuse, and the difficulty of describing the trauma. She said no sentence could restore her childhood. The accused pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and indecent assault between 1988 and 2003. He has a mild intellectual disability, and a doctor noted concerns about his ability to cope alone in prison.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man jailed for 13 years for "horrific" sexual abuse of nephew and niece. Charges or matters: rape, oral rape, sexual assault and indecent assault on the two victims between 1988 and 2003 in Waterford. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- 1988 and 2003 Incident
- 2016-11-21 Publication
Why: "My siblings will suffer for the rest of their life but at least we will no longer suffer in silence and that is because my sister was brave enough to speak out. CNI source report
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: rape, oral rape, sexual assault and indecent assault on the two victims between 1988 and 2003 in Waterford (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: A Waterford man has been jailed for 13 years for sexually abusing his nephew in the 1980s and raping the victim's sister a decade later. Mr Justice McCarthy imposed consecutive sentences totalling 13 years and ordered three years post release supervision.
Places mentioned
Topics
Drugs Sexual Offences Stage Sentence Violent Crime
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