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Serial abuser who raped sisters, niece and own daughters fails in bid to overturn conviction
Summary
A 64-year-old man who sexually abused and raped two of his sisters, his niece, and his own two daughters has failed in his attempt to overturn his convictions. At the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy ruled that there was no prejudice to Richard O'Brien by the trial judge allowing the victims to give evidence via video link. The court also rejected O'Brien's argument that there was no evidence of a lack of consent from some of the complainants. O'Brien was convicted unanimously by a jury in 2023 following a trial in the Central Criminal Court. His five victims, including his sisters, niece, and daughters, waived their right to anonymity so he could be named. The abuse occurred at his family home in Ballyfermot and continued until the women ran away as teenagers. The women described physical abuse and emotional torture at his hands. O'Brien also abused his own daughters, leading to their removal into care. One daughter later told her foster mother about the abuse, prompting others to come forward.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Serial abuser who raped sisters, niece and own daughters fails in bid to overturn conviction. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- May 2023 Incident
- 1975 and 2011 Incident
- 2025-12-18 Publication
Why: Mr Murray also argued that certain rape counts on the indictment should have been withdrawn from the jury because no evidence of a lack of consent was given by some of the complainants. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; He was sentenced to life in prison by Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring in May 2023.
Places mentioned
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