Courts / Ireland / Report
'He betrayed her': father who engaged in sexual act with intellectually disabled daughter is jailed
Summary
A 69‑year‑old man was sentenced to nine years in prison for two counts of engaging in a sexual act with his intellectually disabled adult daughter, who is now in residential care. He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court on 7 February 2023. The judge, Mr Justice Paul McDermott, described the offence as very serious, noting that the maximum penalty could be life imprisonment. The sentence was eight years, with the final year suspended for two years, and the defendant was placed under Probation Services supervision for five years and ordered to undertake any courses they deem appropriate. He is prohibited from contacting his daughter without her consent and only under strict supervision. The sentence was backdated to the date he entered custody. The daughter, in her mid‑30s with a moderate intellectual disability, had never shared a bed with a man before this abuse. The case was resolved by a guilty plea, avoiding a jury trial.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'He betrayed her': father who engaged in sexual act with intellectually disabled daughter is jailed. Charges or matters: two counts of engaging in a sexual act with a protected person in Leinster on February 7, 2023. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- February 7, 2023 Incident
- 2025-06-03 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: two counts of engaging in a sexual act with a protected person in Leinster on February 7, 2023 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: A man who "betrayed" his intellectually disabled adult daughter by engaging in sexual acts with her has been jailed for eight years. Mr Justice McDermott sentenced the defendant to nine years in prison but suspended the final year for a period of two years.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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