'Cruel monster' sexually and physically abused stepsons and tied dog to railway track

One victim, who had twice attempted suicide because of what his stepfather had done, recalled their living conditions and how they had to drink water from puddles

The 66-year-old man appeared before Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday to hear victim impact statements from his two stepsons who recalled a childhood that was a “living nightmare” because of the abuse and squalor they suffered at his hands. File photo

A man who subjected his two stepsons to regular physical and sexual abuse as young children, while also tying their pet dog to a railway track and forcing them to watch it being run over by a train, has been described as a “cruel monster”.

The 66-year-old man appeared before Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday to hear victim impact statements from his two stepsons who recalled a childhood that was a “living nightmare” because of the abuse and squalor they suffered at his hands.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons to protect the identify of his victims, was found guilty of 38 counts of indecent assault and child cruelty for the repeated sexual and physical abuse of his two stepsons on dates between December 1, 1988, and May 31, 1989, at a location in Co. Wicklow following a five-day trial in June.

The offender, whose last known address was in the west of Ireland, was also convicted of a single charge of animal cruelty.

Victim impact statements

In a victim impact statement, one of the brothers described himself as “a 41-year-old survivor from an unspeakable beginning in life”.

The victim said he had been sexually, mentally and physically abused by his stepfather but had always blamed himself for what happened to him and his brother.

He told the court he had also been electrocuted, threatened with knives and “worse things” so that his stepfather could satisfy his sexual needs.

“He is a coward, a bully and one sick man,” he added. 

He is a danger to society – a weak, pathetic old man that has tried to ruin people’s lives, but not anymore.

The man said he had twice attempted suicide because of the effect of what his stepfather had done, while also suffering post-traumatic stress disorder, anger issues and depression.

He also recalled their living conditions and how they had no food and had to drink water from puddles.

“I remember an oil slick on top of the puddle which I drank. I did it because I had no choice,” the man said.

However, he said the best thing that ever happened to himself and his brother was when they were placed in foster care with a family who showed them “so much love and care”.

“It was the best feeling to have someone to call Mum and Dad,” he observed.

He also expressed hope that his stepfather would stay behind bars for the rest of his life so he could not hurt anybody ever again.

His brother told the court that his partner of 14 years had never seen him naked for the first five years of their relationship. He said the idea of being naked with a person “brought back all the vile memories I have”.

The father of two also described how the idea of seeing his own children naked petrified him.

“I missed out on the little things like bathing my children when they were born or not being able to change their nappy,” he added.

“What should have been a great memory-making childhood turned into a living nightmare we lived every day,” he remarked.

No protective figure

Counsel for the DPP, Carl Hanahoe BL, said people living near the boys after they moved to Ireland with their stepfather, mother and two younger half-brothers in late 1988 became very quickly concerned about their welfare after they were enrolled in a local school.

Mr Hanahoe said the two victims had been placed in foster care after a teacher had noticed one of them with bruising on his body.

He said an unusual feature of the case was the “complete absence of a protective figure in the family”.

Squalor and beatings

Evidence was heard during the trial about their squalid living conditions where they regularly went without food, water or clean clothing for long periods as well as being made to sleep in a premises with nothing but blankets and a locked box containing food.

Mr Hanahoe said one of the victims was sexually assaulted on multiple occasions and made to masturbate his stepfather, while also suffering regular beatings with a leather belt and baton which had rendered him unconscious on one occasion.

The barrister said the other brother experienced similar abuse and once had his hand smashed with a hammer by his stepfather.

He said the incident with the pet dog being tied to a railway track occurred as a punishment for one of the brothers stealing food.

Detective Garda Kevin Donnegan said an investigation was begun in the case after the brothers had made a formal complaint about their stepfather to the UK authorities in 2016.

The court heard the man, who had 18 previous convictions including one for what was one of a large quantity of child pornography, continued to protest his innocence.

Judge Martina Baxter adjourned sentencing in the case until a date in early November.