10 years’ jail for man who raped daughter

A Galway man who raped his daughter and threatened to kill her mother with a shotgun if she told anyone has been sentenced to just over ten years in prison.

The 65-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect his daughter’s identity, had denied one count of rape and six counts of sexual assault between August 1991 and August 1993

The offences took place in the family home, from when his daughter was nine years old.

The man had denied the allegations but a jury found him guilty after a trial earlier this year.

Regarding sentencing in the Mr Justice Michael Moriarty said he took into account the man’s health, the fact that he had been a reasonably assiduous worker, and when not indulging excessively in alcohol, had related “not unpleasantly” to people who had given testimonials on his behalf.

The judge said he also took into account the fact that prison would be difficult for a man of his age.

Furthermore he said he took into account the exceptionally gracious manner his daughter had managed to speak with a degree of residual affection for him.

He imposed a sentence of 11-and-a-half years, but suspended the last 15 months.

In her victim impact statement, the daughter, who is now a mother herself, said she could not imagine how anyone could hurt their child.

She said she liked to believe her father did what he did because he drank too much and did not know what he was doing.

The court heard the man does not accept the jury’s verdict and is planning to appeal his conviction.