Rapist father loses appeal as court finds complaint evidence was admissible

A Donegal man has lost his appeal against conviction for raping and sexually assaulting his daughter during her childhood. The Court of Appeal dismissed the challenge on 14 July, with Mr Justice Michael MacGrath ruling that evidence of the victim's disclosure to her aunt was properly admissible at trial. The appellant, Michael Carter (57) of Kinnego, Ballymagan, Buncrana, was convicted in June 2023 of one count of rape and 25 sample counts of sexual assault occurring between 2010 and 2014, when his daughter was aged nine to twelve. He was sentenced to ten and a half years imprisonment. The defence had contested the admissibility of the aunt's evidence, arguing the complaint was elicited through questioning rather than offered voluntarily. The court found the disclosure was consistent with the victim's trial testimony and properly admitted, identifying no error warranting reversal of the conviction.