A Co Offaly farmer has been jailed for seven years by the Central Criminal Court for raping and sexually abusing six children from 1967 to the late 1980s.
The 63-year-old single man was convicted in May by a jury of 10 men and two women of 17 charges of rape, unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 15, and indecent assault. The jury took up to three hours to reach its verdicts after a three-day trial.
Before sentence was passed, Mr Seamus Sorahan SC, defending, told Mr Justice Geoghegan his client had asked him to express his sincerest remorse and shame.
Mr Justice Geoghegan said an admission of guilt, even at a late stage, was a factor in mitigation. He also noted that none of the victims was vindictive.
He said the defendant came from a most decent family and neither they nor the defendant could face to the facts of what he did. He imposed sentences of seven years on one rape charge and three of unlawful carnal knowledge, and terms of four and two years for indecent assault.
Originally the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had denied 22 charges in relation to the six women, four of them sisters. The number of charges was reduced and some were amended to simplify the indictment.
The women had told Mr Erwan Mill Arden SC, prosecuting, that they had each been abused by the man up to their early teens, while on the man's farm.
Each victim had been unaware the man had interfered with others until April 1994, when the 33-year-old sister broke down at a hen party when discussing first sexual experiences.
When questioned by Mr Sorahan, two of the women made it clear they did not want the man's money. In evidence the man claimed the women had conspired against him because he had chased some of them from his farm
He also suggested they may have been after his farm or compensation.