Courts / Kildare / Report

Victim tells court she will never fully recover from rape and sexual abuse by Stepfather

Date
2017-02-20

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Kildare

County
Kildare

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 24‑year‑old woman described the lasting impact of sexual abuse by her stepfather, who had assaulted and raped her for over seven years. She said she would never live a normal life because the man, who was meant to protect her, had stolen her childhood. The court heard that the 44‑year‑old Kildare man began sexually assaulting her when she was 12, started raping her regularly at 15, and continued until 2011. He was found guilty of 17 counts of sexual assault and 16 counts of rape. During the trial he denied the allegations, claiming they were fabricated. The victim's statement detailed severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and self‑harm, and she said she could not pursue a career or form lasting relationships. The case was scheduled for sentencing on March 6. The man had prior convictions for assault and larceny and had worked as a builder.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Victim tells court she will never fully recover from rape and sexual abuse by Stepfather. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty

When:

March 6 Hearing Or Sentence
2004 and 2007 Other
2008 and 2011 Other
2017-02-20 Publication

Why: During his trial in January, the man maintained that his stepdaughter had fabricated the allegations against him because he would not let her boyfriend into the house. CNI source report