Seven years for raping niece on numerous occasions

A Dublin man has been jailed for seven years by the Central Criminal Court for raping his niece on numerous occasions while she…

A Dublin man has been jailed for seven years by the Central Criminal Court for raping his niece on numerous occasions while she was living in his house in 1990.

Family members of the accused had to leave the court after the sentence was announced by Mr Justice Quirke to prevent a fight breaking out.

The family of the niece clapped and shouted "Yes" when the sentence was handed down, which caused a female relative of the defendant to scream at them and kick out towards where they were sitting. This woman was then taken outside the courtroom by other members of her family.

Eugene Farrell snr (42), formerly of Greenfort Gardens, Clondalkin, had pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of raping his niece on dates between January and October 1990 when she was aged 14 and 15 but was convicted by a jury last October.

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Mr Justice Quirke said Farrell had shown absolutely no remorse for what he had done to his niece.

He also noted that Farrell had not taken any steps to be rehabilitated for the factors which caused these offences.

Mr Justice Quirke noted that Farrell was in a position of authority when the offences took place and the niece had been in fear of him due to his violent past.

She had also witnessed violent incidents in the family.

Defence counsel, Mr Niall Durnin SC, said Farrell had been living rough since he separated from his wife in the early 1990s but had made efforts to clean himself up while in custody.