A woman has detailed how "nobody believed her" and that she was "deemed a liar" when she told of the rape and sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her own father, which began when she was just four years old.
The 82-year-old Kerry man was convicted by a jury of six men and six women of 61 counts of rape against his daughter at the Cork sitting of the Central Criminal Court last Friday.
The man's daughter delivered a victim impact statement to the court in which she said her father "robbed her of an innocent childhood".
The two-week trial was held before Judge Siobhan Lankford.
The court was told of the serial rape, sexual abuse and violence, committed by the now 82-year-old man against his daughter.
Last Friday the jury delivered unanimous guilty verdicts in respect of the charges against the man, consisting of 61 counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault, and two charges of assault causing harm.
Sergeant Trevor Ryan, who led the investigation, told the court the abuse commenced when the victim was just four years old.
He also told of how the victim was raped by her father on almost a weekly basis, in multiple locations, in the family home, in fields, sheds and in laneways.
At today’s sentencing hearing the man’s daughter delivered a victim impact statement detailing the effect the years of rape and abuse had upon her.
She said it was now "time to speak out" and that her father had "destroyed his name and that of his family".
"I was his to be abused," she said, "a sexual plaything", adding that when she told of the abuse and rape she was "left down by many" and that "nobody believed her".
She said her father could erupt in a "violent display at the drop of a hat" and that, to the outside world, he "was a master manipulator" and that "no one saw the wreckage".
"You beat me down," the victim said, addressing her father in court, "but I have succeeded".
"It’s time to rebuild from the harm you have inflicted upon me".
"No more secrets," she added.
Judge Lankford has adjourned sentencing in the case until next Friday.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
