Man, 76, admits raping nine-year-old granddaughter

A 76-year-old man has pleaded guilty to raping his nine-year-old granddaughter in a Wexford town in 1994.

The west Dublin pensioner admitted he raped her in July 1994 and also pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexually assaulting her on a date from January 18, 1992 to January 17, 1994.

He also admitted he indecently assaulted her older sister at his home on a date between July 10 and September 30, 1993 when she was seven-years-old.

His guilty pleas to the three sample charges came before a jury had been scheduled to be sworn in for his trial on and indictment which had a total of 58 counts. The first 34 charges related to the victim he raped and the remaining 24 to her older sister.

Prosecuting counsel, Ms Aileen Donnelly SC, and defence counsel, Mr Luan O Braonain SC, agreed the three charges to which the pensioner pleaded guilty were "without prejudice" to the remaining counts on the indictment which ranged in dates from 1983 to 1998.

Mr Justice Paul Carney directed that the man's name be entered on the register of sexual offenders and ordered the preparation of victim impact statements.

Mr Justice Carney remanded him on continuing bail for sentence in October and noted he was doing this having being informed by Ms Donnelly that the Director of Public Prosecutions and An Garda Siochana had no objection.

Mr O Braonain said the remand to October would give the defence time to prepare a psychological report.