A Belfast man who was convicted of raping and abusing his daughter and step-daughter has been jailed for 15 years.
Michael Claxton (54), from Cloona Park in west Belfast, was convicted by majority verdicts of 27 charges of indecent assault, five of attempted rape and one charge of rape - all between September 1976 and September 1989.
Today Judge Anthony Hart QC said the evidence in the trials "reflected . . . that he systemically abused them over the years". In relation to all the indecent assault, Judge Hart sentenced Claxton to the maximum period of two years in jail, five years for the attempted rapes and ten years for rape.
However, ordering the sentences to be served consecutively, the judge said that he would have to take into account the fact there were many aggravating features and two victims.
During the two trials, the court heard that Claxton began to abuse his step-daughter when she was just five or six and continued to do so until she was about 19.
Claxton started to abuse his own daughter when she was around 11 years old and continued until she was 18.
The judge said that the only possible mitigating factor in the case was Claxton's health as he had been shot in ankles and knees in 1994, but he added there was "nothing to suggest" this would cause him "undue hardship" in prison.