Man who sexually abused niece loses appeal

A 26-year old man who sexually abused his niece when she was five and he was 16 has lost an appeal against the severity of a three-year prison term he received.

The man, who later went on to get a degree in engineering and a good job, was sentenced to six years imprisonment, with the final three suspended, after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault in the Central Criminal Court last March.

The court heard the offences occurred on various dates in Sept 2003 at a time when the two families involved were very close and the girl spent a substantial amount of time in his home. The abuse occurred when he brought her to his room to play with his video games.