Man raped sister in family rife with abuse

A 12-YEAR-OLD girl was raped and sexually abused by her 18-year-old brother for a year after their father died and their mother abandoned them.

From evidence given at an in camera hearing of the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Cork yesterday, a picture has emerged of a family in which sexual abuse was rife. The 18-year-old who raped, buggered and sexually assaulted his 12-year-old sister pleaded guilty yesterday to several counts, all related to 1989 when the victim was 12, turning 13, and when he was 18.

Two other young siblings lived in the house during the period, but there was no parental supervision. Their extremely violent and sexually abusive father had died, their older brothers and sisters had moved out of home and their alcoholic mother left them to go and live with someone else.