Patrick Honan jailed after convictions for rape and indecent assault of daughter

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

Patrick Honan was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on 26 April 2024 to 13 years in custody, with the final 18 months suspended.

Honan was found guilty after a trial in February of 48 sample counts, including 25 of rape and 23 of indecent assault. Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford said she would take the indecent assault charges into consideration, describing them as part of a continuing pattern of abuse in the context of the rape allegations.

The abuse took place at the family home in Doonbeg, Co Clare, between 1977 and 1989, when his daughter was aged from three and a half to 16. Honan does not accept the jury’s verdicts and maintains his innocence, the court had previously been told.

The judge directed Honan not to approach his daughter at any time. She noted the prolonged abuse and breach of trust and commended his daughter’s bravery during the trial process.