Man says mother put girl up to abuse claims

A man on trial for sexually assaulting his partner’s daughter has claimed the child’s mother, aunt and grandmother had put the child up to making the allegations in a row over custody of his sons.

The 53-year-old went on trial yesterday on 26 counts of sexually assaulting the girl when she was aged 8 to 14 from 2005 to 2011 at addresses in Co Cork and also at a mobile home in Kerry.

The defendant and his partner met when she was pregnant with the alleged victim.