Man who raped daughter 'overdoses', court hears

The sentencing of a Sligo man who was last month convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his daughter has been adjourned today after the man was hospitalised following an alleged overdose.

The 46-year-old man was found guilty by a jury last month of raping and sexually assaulting his teenage daughter following a six day trial at the Central Criminal Court.

The jurors were unable to agree a verdict on three further counts of sexual assault.

Ms Isobel Kennedy SC, prosecuting, told Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne that they had just received information that the accused man had been hospitalised at the weekend and he would not be in court.

Defence counsel, Mr Kenneth Fogarty SC, said he had been unable to get instructions from his client after the man declined to see his solicitor on an occasion last month following the trial.

Ms Justice Dunne said she understood the allegation was that “there was an overdose of some kind” and she adjourned the case for mention on December 21 when a new sentence date may be set.

She ordered a medical report for that date along with the production of the convicted man.