Man who abused step-daughter loses appeal

A man jailed for sexually abusing his step-daughter lost an appeal yesterday against conviction on grounds involving the victim’s impact statement read to court following his trial.

Michael Riordan, aged 49, of 25 The Orchard, Blackrock, Cork, had pleaded not guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to 21 counts of sexual assault committed against his step-daughter on dates between September 2007 and November 2012.

He was found guilty by a jury on nine counts, acquitted on the remainder by direction, and was sentenced to two and a half years’ imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on July 4, 2014.