Roscommon father awaiting sentence for sexual assault of daughter

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

Judge Martin Nolan kept a Roscommon father on continuing bail at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, pending sentencing the following Monday. The man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting his daughter. The charge covered conduct at the Roscommon family home between July 2004 and July 2006. The court heard that the abuse occurred when she was between five and seven.

The proceedings were reported on 12 March 2015. The father’s identity is withheld to protect his daughter.

Her mother was serving a sentence of 14 years for sexual assault, sexual exploitation and child cruelty, with 4½ years suspended. The neighbour had received a separate 14-year sentence for sexual offences involving the child, including rape. The court heard that the mother had a relationship with him and provided access to her daughter for sexual abuse.

A local garda told prosecuting counsel Philipp Rahn that social workers were involved with the family and concerns had arisen about the child’s sexualised behaviour. The report said she was removed from the home and an extensive investigation followed.

The girl told specialist Garda interviewers that her father kissed and molested her while she sat on his knee. She described two or three incidents when she was five or six. Questioned by gardaí, he denied molesting her and suggested any contact with her genitals might have been accidental.

In her victim impact report, which was read in court, she described lasting harm caused by her father.

Paul Greene SC, defending, said the father had no involvement in the more serious abuse arranged by the mother. He said his client feared her and described the household as chaotic and dysfunctional. Citing a medical report, counsel said health problems would make custody particularly difficult for the father.