Courts / Dublin / Report

Father added "further insult to trauma" by denying abuse of daughter

Date
2019-11-11
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

A 68‑year‑old Dublin man pleaded guilty in July 2019 to five counts of indecent assault on his daughter between 1985 and 1986, when she was aged nine to ten. He later denied the abuse to the Probation Service, claiming he had no idea why his daughter would make the allegations. He appeared in court unrepresented and confirmed he did not wish to alter his guilty pleas, stating he was "guilty" and would feel "forever guilty." Judge Elma Sheahan sentenced him to nine years, suspending the final year on the condition he completes all available sexual‑abuse courses in custody. The sentence was delivered in the presence of the victim, who broke down in tears. She said she had spoken out to stop abuse that had persisted for three generations and expressed forgiveness toward her father.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Father added "further insult to trauma" by denying abuse of daughter. Charges or matters: sexually abusing his daughter before denying it ever happened has been jailed for eight years. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: In an emotional victim impact statement previously read out in court, she said she had spoken out because she wanted to stop abuse that had gone on in her father's family for three generations. CNI source report

Case subjects

Unnamed 68-year-old

Convicted Person

Charges: sexually abusing his daughter before denying it ever happened has been jailed for eight years (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: A 68-year-old man who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing his daughter before denying it ever happened has been jailed for eight years. The judge handed down a nine-year sentence but suspended the final year on condition the man engage in all sexual abuse courses available to him in custody.

Places mentioned

Incident
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Secondary Mention

Topics

Sexual Offences Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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