A Co Laois man who repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted his daughter over 10 years has been given a life sentence to be served consecutive to an existing 20-year prison term he is serving for other sex crimes.
The 47-year-old had pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 32 counts of rape, oral rape and sexual assault on his daughter over a 10-year period, 1993 to 2003, starting when she was seven.
Some of the offences were committed while he was on bail arising out of the sex abuse charges for which he is serving the 20 years.
Mr Justice Paul Carney had adjourned sentence until yesterday so that defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC could research a referral by the Court of Criminal Appeal to the Supreme Court in relation to imposing a life sentence in certain cases.
Mr Justice Carney noted that the man had already been given a 20-year sentence for the rapes of three women.
"There could not be anything more grave than a 10-year rape of his own daughter from the ages of seven to 17, and rapes being perpetrated in various forms. It seems to me that in relation to what I have to deal with now, imposing anything less than a life sentence would be less than proportionate," he said.
He imposed a life sentence for the rapes, which he made consecutive to the existing 20-year prison term the man was serving. He also imposed five-year terms for each count of sexual assault.
Sgt Gerry Cawley had told Isobel Kennedy SC, prosecuting, that the victim and her mother came to the Garda in October 2003 to lodge her complaint of the 10 years of sexual abuse.
The first assault and rape took place in 1993 when her brother broke his leg.
Her father had sent her brothers out of the house and then ordered her into his bedroom where he removed her and his own clothes, proceeded to fondle her body and then had sexual intercourse with her.
Sgt Cawley said she didn't know it was wrong or how long it continued. Her father stopped on that occasion after one of her brothers came to the bedroom door and kept calling for him.
She outlined a similar pattern of sexual abuse over the coming years. This also included oral rape. She was 17 the last time he had sexual intercourse with her in her own bed.
The abuse ended after her mother stopped working and she was no longer alone with her father in the house. Her brothers were able to confirm some details such as being put out of the house regularly by their father.
When arrested he made "limited admissions" relating to sexual abuse. Mr Justice Carney directed that he be registered as a sex offender when he pleaded guilty to the current charges in January.
Sgt Cawley told Ms Kennedy that the man is serving a total of 20 years in consecutive sentences for offences involving three other young girls. He was released on bail after being charged with these other offences in 1999 and committed some of the crimes on his daughter while on bail.
Sgt Cawley agreed with Mr O'Higgins that the man's guilty plea in January was a welcome relief to the victim and her mother. He had also sent a written apology to his daughter and directed that €10,000 of his redundancy money was to be paid over to her "no matter what happens to him". His remorse was genuine.
The man was convicted in 2003 of 11 charges of rape and 20 of indecent assault between 1975 and 1984 on three sisters who were aged from four to 14 years.
At the time Mr Justice Michael Peart noted the man had neither shown remorse nor apologised for his actions and continued to maintain his innocence.
Sentence 'sends clear message'
The Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) welcomed the life sentence imposed on the Laois former postman.
Fiona Neary, RCNI executive director, said: "This sentence sends out a number of very clear messages to both the victims and perpetrators of sexual violence.
"Firstly, it recognises the extensive damage caused to victims by sexual violence - for many the effects can only be described as life-destroying.
"Secondly, this sentence signals that sexual violence is a crime serious enough to warrant a life sentence. Importantly, in handing down a life sentence Judge Carney has ensured that the perpetrator will undergo the highest levels of supervision post release."