'You're a master manipulator': Woman tells father convicted of raping her when she was a child

*Some readers may find this content upsetting*

A child who was raped by her own father through her childhood in Kerry turned directly to the 82-year-old today, declaring: “It’s time to speak out, I’m not keeping your secret anymore.” 

In powerful victim impact evidence given from the witness box at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork, the now middle-aged woman turned to her father who sat in the dock – now convicted by the jury of raping her 61 times.

“It’s your shame, your blame. You’re the one who destroyed your name and your family.

“As a child I needed someone to advocate for me to ensure no harm would come my way, to feel I was safe and secure. But I was his – to be abused in whichever manner he chose.

“You made me out to be a troublemaker, that I couldn’t tell the truth and nobody would believe me – the liar – when I only spoke the truth. I had no self-belief, low self-esteem, I was a failure from the start, being compared to siblings who were seen as much brighter according to you even though we all achieved academically the same.

“You beat me down saying that I would amount to nothing in this life. I have succeeded in life.

“I could read you like an open book – ‘you don’t dare best me’ – That you were going to dominate me, no matter what. You treated me as your sexual play thing. That a child should never know. You robbed me of the childhood innocence.” 

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford remanded the 82-year-old in custody until Friday February 14 for sentencing.

The Director of Public Prosecutions said a sentence of somewhere between 15 years and life imprisonment was merited for the 82-year-old who raped his daughter through her childhood. Prosecution senior counsel Ray Boland said this in relation to the DPP view. 

But senior counsel Barry White complained: “The director is inviting the court to lock up (the accused) and throw away the key. In my submission that would be morally wrong and judicially wrong.” 

Even though the abuse was effectively admitted by the accused man when he was interviewed by Sergeant Trevor Ryan who led the investigation, the 82-year-old man pleaded not guilty to all of the charges against him.

At interview three years ago it was put to him: 

“You groomed her from when she was a child. She probably thought that what was happening was normal. You stole her childhood.” 

He replied at that time: “Yes and I am willing to face the consequences.” He denied all charges at trial. But on all counts on which the jury deliberated they were unanimous in finding him guilty. They consisted of 61 counts of rape, three counts of indecent assault, and two charges of assault causing harm.

In respect of the physical harm, the middle-aged woman recalled that as a child of around 12 her father beat her with a large leather strap and broke a chair over her head.

Today the victim said: “I was let down by many during my childhood from family and outside agencies. All the signs were there, you only needed to look a little closer, that I was at high risk. But no one dared to approach you (her father) on any topic, due to the ramifications – the violence displayed at the drop of a hat.

“Where others saw you as a charismatic rogue who would help anyone out, you’re a master manipulator. No one saw the wreckage you were causing within the home and in my life.

“I’ve allowed to live your life. Now it’s time to set me free, to rebuild my life, to recover from the harm you inflicted on me. These are different times. No more secrets. Speak the truth and you will be heard and you be believed. There is hope and there is help that others can guide you through the dark times and guide you into the light. Be brave, reach out, for just one more time. If you’re experiencing any form of abuse it stops right now. Just take that one step to freedom and recovery.” 

The injured party thanked gardaí, lawyers, health professionals, counsellors and rape crisis centres.

Sgt Trevor Ryan questioned the accused in February 2023 and the now 82-year-old admitted “playing sex games” with his daughter. He recalled seeing her in sexual terms at the age of four. He said that he was “having sex” with her when she aged from 14 or 15.

Asked: “You said you had sex when she was 14 or 15. How often?” He replied: “About once a week.” 

It was put to the accused that he and his daughter fell out when she realised that he had been sexually abusing her for 20 years. “Have you left her emotionally scarred?” he was asked and replied: “I would think so. I was sexually abused when I was a child. I know I did wrong and I am sorry.” 

“Having sex with a child is rape, do you understand that?” he was asked and he replied: “I do, yeah.” 

“I would say this is an unusual case in the sense that there are extensive admissions from the accused, although not everything alleged is admitted… She told you the terrible things that happened her at the hands of her father when she was a child,” Mr Boland said.

Barry White senior counsel for the defence suggested to the jury before they deliberated: “People do make false allegations. Equally, people make false admissions. That should be your starting point in considering the facts… You are dealing with false allegations being made against him. And false admissions are made by him.”

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