Kerry man found guilty of raping daughter 'about once a week' since she was a child

The Criminal Courts of Justice in Cork heard that the man admitted having sex with his daughter 'about once a week' when she was aged from 14 or 15. File picture: Larry Cummins

WARNING: Some readers may find the following report upsetting

An 82-year-old Kerryman who admitted to gardaí the sexual abuse and rape of his daughter throughout her life denied all charges against him in a trial, but a jury of six men and six women reached unanimous guilty verdicts against him on 61 counts of raping her.

Sentencing in his case will be held at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork on February 7 when the victim will have an opportunity to describe the impact that her father’s serial abuse had on her from the age of four.

Even though the abuse was effectively admitted by the accused man when he was interviewed by Sergeant Trevor Ryan who led the investigation, the 82-year-old man pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him.

At interview three years ago it was put to him: “You groomed her from when she was a child. She probably thought that what was happening was normal. You stole her childhood.” He replied at that time: “Yes and I am willing to face the consequences.” 

But he denied all charges at trial. On all counts on which the jury deliberated they were unanimous in finding him guilty. They consisted of 61 counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault, and two charges of assault causing harm.

In respect of the physical harm, the middle-aged woman recalled that as a child of around 12 her father beat her with a large leather strap and broke a chair over her head.

The accused man did not go into the witness box during the trial but his senior counsel, Barry White, cross-examined the victim and suggested to her that she was dissatisfied about being disinherited and that this was why she made the allegations. She denied this and said she did not want anything from her father.

Garda interview

Sgt Trevor Ryan questioned the accused in February 2023 and the now 82-year-old admitted “playing sex games” with his daughter. He recalled seeing her in sexual terms at the age of four. He said that he was “having sex” with her when she aged from 14 or 15. 

He said he used a condom. “I was afraid anything might happen to her… that she might get pregnant,” he said.

Asked; “You said you had sex when she was 14 or 15. How often?” He replied: “About once a week.” 

It was put to the accused that he and his daughter fell out when she realised that he had been sexually abusing her for 20 years. “Have you left her emotionally scarred?” he was asked and replied: “I would think so. I was sexually abused when I was a child. I know I did wrong and I am sorry.” 

When asked: “What would you call a person who is sexually aroused by a four-year-old?” he replied: “A paedophile.” Asked if he was a paedophile he said: “I am. But not to other kids.” 

“Did you think you were in a relationship with her?” he was asked and he replied: “Yes, something like that.” 

“Having sex with a child is rape, do you understand that?” he was asked and he replied: “I do, yeah.” 

'Unusual case'

Ray Boland, senior counsel for the prosecution, told the jury that when the accused was questioned by gardaí he admitted that he had sex with his daughter from when she was aged 14 on a weekly basis.

He reminded them of her evidence of her father breaking a chair over her head in one assault and regularly beating her with a thick leather belt. A schoolfriend of the complainant testified in the trial that she saw the marks on the girl’s body consistent with having been beaten with a belt.

“I would say this is an unusual case in the sense that there are extensive admissions from the accused, although not everything alleged is admitted… She told you the terrible things that happened her at the hands of her father when she was a child,” Mr Boland said.

Barry White, senior counsel for the defence, suggested to the jury before they deliberated: “People do make false allegations. Equally, people make false admissions. That should be your starting point in considering the facts… You are dealing with false allegations being made against him. And false admissions are made by him.”

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