A 57 year old Co Meath father who sexually assaulted his daughter's friend for five years has been jailed for four years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The girl was only seven years old when he started assaulting her. He told her she was his "little princess" and said her father would do the same things with her if he was around as an expression of "love". She initially believed this while detesting the acts.
The man also threatened the girl by saying his family would be split up if she complained.
The defendant pleaded guilty to a total of six charges of indecent assault and sexual assaults on two girls.
The second victim was a 13 year old family babysitter whom he assaulted once in 1992 by feeling her breasts.
Judge Cyril Kelly made an order prohibiting publication of the defendant's name and address to protect his victims. He also noted the principal victim was assaulted for five years, from 1987 to 1992.
A garda said the offence came to light when the principal victim told her mother while on holidays. She said she was afraid to return to the town he lived in. The babysitter was with her and also recounted her experience.
The garda told Mr Patrick Marrinan, prosecuting, the offending with the first girl began with touching and then progressed to digital penetration and oral abuse. He also masturbated in front of her.
The defendant would sometimes leave his wife in a pub and come back to the house when the victim was there to assault her. He had no previous convictions.
Defence counsel, Mr Erwan Mill Arden SC (with Mr Kevin Seagrave), said his client's guilty plea saved his victims the trauma of giving evidence.
He had lived away from his home town in great austerity after his arrest and had been in custody since September, 1995, when a bailsperson withdrew the surety.
He accepted the seriousness of his offences and regretted his actions for the effect they had on the girls.
The defendant was prepared to undergo one to one treatment but had a real fear of group therapy.