Sligo man on trial for rape of daughter

The trial of a Sligo man accused of the rape and sexual assault of his daughter has opened at the Central Criminal Court.

The 45-year-old man, who can not be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and four counts of sexual assault on dates between September 2005 and June 2006.

Ms Isobel Kennedy SC, prosecuting, told the jury, in opening the trial, that it expected the man’s daughter will give evidence that on a number of occasions when she was asleep in her bed at the family home she woke up to find her father in her bed and he put his hand on her breast.

She said they would hear evidence that the girl cried and would try to get away. It is alleged this happened frequently.

Ms Kennedy told the jury the complainant is also expected to describe an incident which allegedly occurred when she was about 15-years-old.

She will say that at about 11am one morning she took a shower and after she left the bathroom her father pushed her onto a bed, her towel came off and he raped her.

The trial continues this afternoon before Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne and a jury of four women and eight men.