A Dublin man (45) has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two young girls and of threatening to kill their mothers if they told anyone about the abuse.
Daniel Eastwood, formerly of west Dublin, but now of Main Street, Clonmellon, Co Westmeath, was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court of four counts of sexually abusing one of the girls on dates unknown between May 1998 and July 2000 when she was aged between nine and 11.
The father of seven was also unanimously convicted of sexually assaulting her friend on two occasions between January 1997 and December 2001 and again between April and May 2002.
He was found not guilty of one count of sexual assault of the first girl. The jury failed to reach a verdict on a further five counts of sexual assault and one of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to the second girl.
The first girl said Eastwood told her not to tell anyone about the abuse because he would have to go to prison and his children would have no one to look after them. She said he told her: "If you tell your ma, I'll have to cut her throat."
Eastwood also threatened to slice the second girl's mother's throat if she approached him about the abuse.
Judge Kevin Haugh released Eastwood on continuing bail on condition that he report once a week to Kells Garda Station. He is due to be sentenced on June 10th.