Donegal man jailed for seven years for raping sisters as a teenager

A man in his 60s from Donegal received a seven-year prison sentence for sexually abusing his two younger sisters in the 1970s, when he was aged 14 to 16.

Donegal man jailed for seven years for raping sisters as a teenager

A man in his 60s from Donegal has received a seven-year prison term for sexually abusing his two younger sisters during the 1970s, when he himself was still underage.

The defendant was convicted at the Central Criminal Court on 16 counts. These included three rapes, one attempted rape, and 10 indecent assaults carried out between October 1971 and November 1973. At the time, his victims were 13 and 11 years old, as reported by The Irish Times.

Judge Eileen Creedon set a headline sentence of 7½ years, making allowance for the offender's youth at the time. She suspended the last 12 months subject to strict conditions. For the sexual assault counts, she imposed a two-year term to run alongside the main sentence.

The younger sibling first went to Gardaí in 2002, after discovering the man had been detained for making child pornography. She subsequently retracted her statement. The matter progressed again in 2019 when the other sister reported the abuse.

The accused denied all charges and maintains he does not accept the jury's findings. During the mid-1990s, he had expressed regret to both women and sought their forgiveness. Yet Creedon pointed out that he had warned one victim about consequences for her sister if she spoke out.

Both survivors presented what the judge called "very powerful victim-impact statements" describing the childhood violation and enduring mental trauma. Creedon commended their courage and composure during the case.

The court noted the man had not committed further offences, was largely cooperative with investigators, and had endured a troubled upbringing. He was given no credit for showing remorse or admitting guilt.

His barrister, John Berry, successfully sought a reporting restriction on naming him. He cited a Supreme Court decision from May 2025, which held that courts may shield a defendant's identity when prosecution delays mean an accused faces public contempt after turning 18. The DPP remained neutral on the request, though both complainants said they were willing to be identified.

Source: Irish Times