A Tipperary man with a low mental ability has been jailed for six years for sexually abusing his niece over a nine-year period, starting when she was four years old.
"I have lived in my own private prison and hell for many years, and he now should have a taste of it," his victim, now 19, told Mr Justice Carney at the Central Criminal Court.
The 33-year-old man pleaded guilty to 13 counts of oral and anal rape and indecent assault on dates from 1985 to 1993.
The offences happened while he was babysitting.
The victim said that preparing for the case was one of the most difficult, heartbreaking things she had ever faced as it brought all she suffered for many years back to her. She felt she had been robbed of her childhood by her uncle and by lodging her complaint had destroyed many family relationships.
The judge said any fair-minded reading of sentences imposed by him would show they were consistent with each other, taking all the circumstances of each case into consideration.
The only matter in the defendant's favour was his guilty plea.
Sentence would have been higher but for the matters contained in the extensive report referred to by defence counsel.
However, much of the same report could be made on virtually all offenders who came before the court in this type of case.
The evidence given personally by the victim was far more important than if contained only in a victim impact report.