73‑year‑old jailed for seven years for sexually abusing partner’s daughters

A 73‑year‑old man was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting his partner’s two teenage daughters.

Judge Helen Boyle imposed a total sentence of nine years, with the final two years suspended. The defendant’s identity was withheld to protect the victims.

The abuse, which took place between 2015 and 2020, involved one sister who has special educational needs and a mental capacity comparable to a child aged five to ten. Her victim impact statement was read in court, while her sister submitted a written statement privately.

Both sisters were praised for supporting each other throughout the proceedings. One sister said she felt safer at school after the offender’s conviction and expressed relief that “nobody will ever touch me like that again.”

The man had previous convictions for sexual offences, including an attempted rape, and served a five‑year sentence in 1988. He pleaded not guilty at trial but was found guilty on four counts – two for each victim – after a judge‑and‑jury trial.

Prosecutor Suzanne Gorey led the case for the State, and senior counsel Marjorie Farrelly represented the defendant, who was reported to be in poor health.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: SHOX ART / Pexels.