A Wexford man who raped and sexually assaulted his sister over a five-year period in his early teens has been jailed for five years by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court.
The 23-year-old man, who twice tried to commit suicide and began drinking heavily when he realised the wrong he was doing, said he started sexually abusing his sister after finding his mother having sexual intercourse in their house with a family friend.
Dr Brian McCaffrey, forensic psychiatrist, told prosecuting counsel Fergal Foley BL that while "he did the acts of a paedophile, he doesn't have the characteristics of a paedophile".
Dr McCaffrey said he did not form the impression the defendant was "a typical paedophile" or "a predator" but was a young man "full of anger" after finding his mother having sex with a family friend.
He was not abused himself as a child and was not fully aware of how wrong his actions were until his mid-teens. The father-of-one pleaded guilty to four sample charges each of rape and sexual assault. The defendant was aged 12 to 17 and the victim eight to 13 when the offences took place.
Mr Justice Carney imposed five-year terms on the rape charges and three-year terms on the sexual assault counts, all to run concurrently.
He also certified him as a registered sex offender and directed he undergo three years' post-release supervision.
The judge suspended the final year of the sentences unconditionally after noting the defendant had brought in his guilty pleas at the start.