Raped step-daughter hopes abuser 'rots in hell'

The step-daughter of a man jailed for six years for having sex with her when she was 12 today said that she “hopes he rots in hell”.

The now 14-year-old girl said her “life and family’s life has been torn apart” and “today made me realise I was only a child when he raped me”.

She said she slit her wrists because of the abuse.

James Rossiter (aged 36) of Parkview, Harold’s Cross pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of defilement of the girl on December 27, 2009 and January 2, 2010 at his apartment.

Ms Tara Burns BL, prosecuting told Judge Martin Nolan “that the girl doesn’t wish the case to be held in camera, she wants it held in open court”, in order for Rossiter to be named in the media.

Counsel asked, however, that the girl not be named in any reports of the case.

Garda Eithne O’Flynn told Ms Burns that Rossiter was married but separated from the girl’s mother and lived in an apartment in Harold’s Cross.

Leading up to Christmas of 2009 the girl’s mother and the accused agreed the girl and her brother could stay at his apartment between December 26, 2009 to January 2, 2010.

The three slept in the one bed and while the girl was watching television on December 27, Rossiter started to rub the lower end of her back. She told him a number of times to stop but it resulted in them both kissing. Sexual intercourse then took place.

Similar incidents occurred numerous times on January 2, 2010 while the girl was still in his apartment.

The girl and her step-father later had an argument and he threatened to tell her mother they had sex.

“The girl took matters into her own hands and sent her mother a text to say she and her step-father had sex,” explained Gda O’Flynn.

Gardaí were called and Rossiter, who has 12 previous convictions, made a number of admissions but claimed that his step-daughter had instigated the sexual intercourse.

Rossiter is a former head chef at An Post and Heuston Train Station and has a history of abusing cocaine, defence counsel Mr Paul McDermott SC said.

“He acknowledges his behaviour was wrong and he is aware of the impact and regrets the harm he caused,” said Mr McDermott.

Judge Nolan said “having sexual intercourse with his step-daughter is deeply inappropriate and what he did is totally wrong as a position of trust has been abused”.

“I am satisfied that he is at a low risk of re-offending and accept he is remorseful,” said Judge Nolan.

In her victim impact statement, the girl said she was mad with herself that she had lost her virginity to her step-father.

“I felt dirty and the best way for me to deal with it was to kill myself so I slit my wrists in front of my mother. I didn’t feel any better after that but I didn’t try to do it again. I kept everything in and didn’t speak to anyone about it.”

The girl said the incidents tore her family apart and she could not talk to her mother.

“I blamed myself as I felt I could have stopped it,” she continued.

“I hope the scumbag sitting behind me dies and rots in hell. I hope we have a better life and he doesn’t.”