A man has pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 21 charges of raping and indecently assaulting a male and female extended family members over a 10-year period.
The guilty plea of the Dubliner came before his trial on five counts of rape and indecent assault, in relation to one of the victims, was due to start.
He had pleaded not guilty to these charges when the jury was sworn in on Monday for the trial. There was a total of 49 charges on the indictment in relation to the one male and five female victims. He cannot be named for legal reasons.
Mr Justice Barry White told the jury before he discharged it that a trial couldn't have proceeded on charges in relation to more than one complainant at a time and that was why only five counts dealing with one of them were put to the man on Monday.
The judge said that as a result of his pleas on the 21 selected counts, trials before juries wouldn't be necessary. He invited the jury members to attend the sentence hearing if they wished.
The man pleaded guilty to raping three of the women variously on dates in 1969, 1973 and 1978; five counts of indecently assaulting the women on dates from 1969 to 1976; and 13 counts of indecently assaulting the male on dates from 1968 to 1971.
One of the women was aged between eight and nine years when raped; another was 11 years and the third was 13. The male victim was aged 10-13 years when the man indecently assaulted him. Most of the offences happened at two southwest Dublin suburban addresses and one at a swimming pool.
The judge directed that the man's name be added to the register of sex offenders and that victim impact reports be prepared.