Man jailed for rape and sexual assault of his goddaughter

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A man convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his goddaughter has been sentenced to 11 years and six months, with the final six months suspended for one year under strict conditions. He was convicted of two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault after a trial at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Limerick. His name was withheld to protect the victim’s anonymity, and he continues to maintain his innocence.

The offences took place between 2009 and 2012 in County Clare, when the girl was aged six to nine. The sentencing judge set a 13-year headline term, then reduced it to account for mitigation, including testimonials submitted on the man’s behalf. The court also heard evidence about the seriousness and impact of the offending and the girl’s age.