Sex abuser threatened to kill girl if she told

A Clare man threatened to kill his partner’s nine-year-old daughter if she told anyone of his sexual abuse, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

The three-year period of severe abuse was only uncovered when the victim’s younger brother, who was five years old, told their aunt. The court heard the girl is now “extremely traumatised”.

The 25-year-old man pleaded guilty to one sample count each of anal rape and sexual assault of the girl between 2009 and 2012 in Clare. He will be sentenced next week.