A man who sexually abused his two young cousins while he was babysitting has been jailed for nine years.
The court heard 55-year-old Edward McGregor of Weavers Square, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, groomed the two girls and subjected them to repeated sexual assaults between 1986 and 1993.
The abuse took place when the sisters were aged between six and 13 years old.
McGregor was between 15 and 22 years old the court heard. But Judge Eileen Creedon noted that most of the more serious offences happened when McGregor was over 18.
Most of the abuse happened at the children's family home on Donard Avenue on Blackhorse Avenue in Dublin 7 while other assaults were carried out at McGregor’s then family home in Ballymun in Dublin.
McGregor pleaded guilty to the assaults on Frances McGregor and her sister, Caitriona Carr, last November as his trial was to get under way for the third time.
The women reported the abuse in 2019.
McGregor initially denied all the allegations.
A trial in 2024 did not go ahead as he was hospitalised with diabetes and he failed to show up for a second trial date in May 2025.
The court was later told he had gone into hospital after an incident of self harm.
He eventually pleaded guilty to 15 offences in November last year.
'We're not victims anymore, we’re survivors’
Outside court, Frances McGregor said they were relieved the truth had finally been recognised by the court, but she said they were deeply frustrated by how long and difficult the process had been.
She said the repeated delays and drawn-out proceedings added enormous stress and emotional strain.
She said it felt as if McGregor was being portrayed as a victim more so than those who had carried the consequences of his actions for decades.
Ms McGregor said no family should have to wait so long for justice or feel retraumatised by the court process itself.
And she said she hoped this case would encourage greater focus on supporting victims.
She said she and her sister were no longer victims but were survivors. And she said people in her position lived their whole lives feeling like they were worthless, dirty or broken.
She said survivors should not be ashamed as they had done nothing wrong.
And she said it was the perpetrators who were dirty and broken and needed to take accountability for what they had done.
She also thanked Garda Ellen Sharp for her compassion, determination and support.
In her victim impact statement to the court, Ms McGregor described how her cousin groomed her and she was terrified she would be taken away from her family.
The court heard he would get each sister to stand outside the bedroom door, keeping guard while he was abusing the other girl.
Ms Carr said she had begged her mother to let someone else babysit her.
McGregor tried to rape her when she was ten years old. She said she did not understand what was happening, felt ashamed and also felt she could not tell anyone.
The offences came to light when Ms Carr became depressed in 2019 and told her husband.
The court heard McGregor was disowned by his family and was made to leave the family home where he had been living with his mother.
Ms Justice Creedon said the offending was "egregious". And she said the victim impact statements illustrated the "immense toll" it had taken on the lives of the two women.
She sentenced McGregor to ten years in jail but suspended the final year. He was also registered as a sex offender.
Additional reporting CCC Nuacht
