Courts / Westmeath / Report
Father jailed for seven years for rape and sexual abuse of his daughter
Summary
James Broderick, aged 77, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to six offences – three rapes and three indecent assaults – committed against his daughter Rita Broderick between 1983 and 1984. The abuse began when Rita was four in Manchester and continued after the family moved to Athlone, ending when she was 15 and fled the house. Mr Justice Hunt sentenced Broderick to 15 years' imprisonment, suspending eight years, citing his confession and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. Rita Broderick, 46, gave a victim impact statement describing the abuse as a defining, corrosive experience that left her with Dissociative Identity Disorder. She praised the sentence as a "good outcome" and highlighted the lasting mental health effects of her father's actions. The case was reported in the media after Rita waived anonymity.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Father jailed for seven years for rape and sexual abuse of his daughter. Charges or matters: sample charges which included three rapes and three indecent assaults in the family home in Athlone on dates between January 1983 and September 1984. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 1983 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 1984 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 2011 Other
- November 19, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- 1982 to 1984 Incident
- 2015-11-02 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: sample charges which included three rapes and three indecent assaults in the family home in Athlone on dates between January 1983 and September 1984 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Suspending eight years of a 15 year jail term, Mr Justice Hunt said the manner of Broderick's confession was a mitigating factor but "not sufficiently extraordinary" to justify a non-custodial sentence.
Places mentioned
- Lyster Street
- Athlone
- Central Criminal Court
- voluntarily arrived at Athlone Garda Station
- Athlone
Topics
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