Child was victim of sexual abuse by her father, mother and neighbour from age five, court hears

A man aged 59 from Roscommon has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting his daughter between July 2004 and July 2006 at the family home. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the offences occurred when the child was between five and seven years old. The girl was also abused by her mother, who is currently serving a 14-year sentence with four and a half years suspended for sexual assault, sexual exploitation and child cruelty. A neighbour in a relationship with the mother received a 14-year sentence for rape and other sexual offences against the child. During garda interviews, the defendant initially denied the allegations before suggesting any contact with the child's genitals was accidental. The child told specialist interviewers the abuse occurred multiple times when she was aged five or six. Judge Martin Nolan remanded the man on continuing bail pending sentencing on Monday. Defence counsel submitted his client was not responsible for the more serious abuse orchestrated by the mother and was himself operating within a chaotic family environment.