A convicted rapist sexually abused his young daughters while they were visiting him in prison, Tullamore Circuit Court has heard.
The girls were in their early teens when the abuse took place at Castlerea Prison in Co Roscommon.
Their now 52-year-old father had earlier carried out acts of abuse on all three of his daughters when they were as young as four and often beat them with his leather belt.
He had also put a lock on the fridge to deny them food, the court was told.
The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his daughters, was twice convicted of rape and fled the jurisdiction before being tracked down to the UK where he was arrested earlier this year.
Described as "an enormous risk" to the public by Judge Tony Hunt, he has been in custody awaiting trial since last April.
He pleaded guilty to a series of charges of indecently assaulting his three daughters in the 1980s and 1990s. The offences took place in the family home, in his car and at Castlerea Prison.
He also admitted charges of sexually assaulting a young boy.
Judge Hunt will pass sentence later this month.
Victim impact statements were read to the court on behalf of the three daughters.
The oldest daughter spoke of being very scared at what was being done to her and hoping that her late mother would take her away from what her father was doing to her.
"I thought it was normal what was happening,” she said.
Describing him as a monster, she told of being beaten by him, using his belt.
Her father sat motionless with his back turned away from her in court as her statement was read.
She had been abused physically and mentally and told her father: "You are a predator."
Garda Martina Nolan told the court that matters came to light in 2002 when the oldest daughter made allegations against her father. All three victims went on to make statements outlining the abuse.
The man was arrested and charged, but absconded while on bail and was only extradited from the UK a number of months ago. He pleaded guilty to charges in July and to further charges today.
One daughter and her younger sister told of visiting their father in Castlerea Prison while he was serving a sentence for rape in 1999.
She said that her mother had brought her and her sisters to visit their father there and they were all sitting around a table when the abuse took place.
Garda Nolan told the court that the accused man was a farm labourer and worked at odd jobs. He had twice been convicted of raping women, one of whom had special needs. He served sentences of five and 10 years for the offences in the 1980s and 1990s.
He had not participated in any programmes for his offending while in prison and was deemed high risk when released.
He was freed in December 2000, but within months he was sexually abusing a boy aged four to five, who trusted him and regarded him as a step-uncle. The court heard that the offences happened in a forest and at the accused man's apartment.
Defence counsel Padraig Hogan said he had been instructed to express his client's remorse and to express his apologies. The accused man had been subjected to similar abuse himself, which Mr Hogan agreed did not justify what he had done.
Judge Hunt noted that he had not even waited to be released from custody before re-offending and committing acts of indecency.
