An anti-paramilitary campaigner, Vincent McKenna, has been jailed for three years on 31 counts of sexual and indecent assault against his daughter, Sorcha. He had denied the charges. Speaking after the sentence, his legal team said they planned an appeal. However, his barrister, Mr Michael O'Higgins, was refused leave to lodge an appeal in court yesterday.
When her father was found guilty by a jury in Monaghan Circuit Court a fortnight ago, Ms McKenna waived her right to anonymity so he could be publicly named. Sentencing McKenna at Cavan Circuit Court, Judge Matt Deery said the abuse was of a "serious and explicit nature" and there would be "ongoing consequences" for Ms McKenna.
Mr O'Higgins accepted that the offences were very serious and had occurred over a period. However, the type of sexual assault and the ferocity of the abuse was at the lower end of the scale. Mr O'Higgins said the jury's guilty verdict had helped the victim. A victim impact report, prepared for the court, suggested she would lead a normal life. McKenna had already suffered "an enormous amount of publicity and vitriol".
The abuse of which the accused had been convicted was not the only part of his character, Mr O'Higgins said. He had "a capacity to do good" and had helped many victims of paramilitary "punishment" attacks.
He had left school at 16 with no qualifications and through ambition and hard work had improved his position in life, Mr O'Higgins said. Judge Deery said the victim impact report showed Ms McKenna had suffered serious posttraumatic distress and would serve a "life sentence" and require ongoing counselling.
He said the abuse had been continuous, two or three times a week for eight years. Ms McKenna had coped with it by working hard at school and participating in extra-curricular activities.
He described her as "very articulate and courageous" and praised her for "pursuing the matter and speaking out". He referred to McKenna's work helping paramilitary victims. He noted that McKenna had gone on to university and now had a second family.
Judge Deery sentenced McKenna to three years for each of the 12 sexual and 19 indecent assaults. The sentences are to run concurrently.