Former soldier jailed for repeated rape of 12-year-old

A Westmeath man and former Irish solider who raped a 12-year-old girl twice a week for four years has been jailed for 10 years by Mr Justice Paul Carney.

Thomas Cunningham (aged 42) of Cosgrove’s Flats, Dominick Street, Mullingar, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to nine sample charges of raping the victim on dates between May 1, 2002 and June 31, 2006.