A man who abused his 11-year-old daughter was given a suspended jail sentence yesterday after the victim asked that the judge not jail him because it would be a sentence for her as well.
The now 26-year-old woman told Judge Raymond Groarke that if he sent her father to jail, "you will put another sentence on me. I want to walk away today and know this is in the past, please."
In reply to a question from the judge, she said she was saying this of her own free will and needed to get on with her life. "I know he is very sorry for what he did and I forgive him."
Trim Circuit Criminal Court heard that the abuse took place 10 times between the January 1st, 1990, and June 30th, 1991. It took the form of him touching her sexually and on the last occasion, he made her touch him. At all times she had pretended to be asleep.
It came to light some time later when her mother found her diary and when she chastised the girl for what she had written, her father admitted something had happened.
It was only when gardaí called to the family home in January 2002 on another matter that the man told one of the gardaí about the abuse and the prosecution ensued.
In the witness box, the daughter said that as a result of the abuse she suffered from depression, was on medication, had anxiety attacks and suffered from low self-esteem.
Judge Groarke said it was a dreadfully sad case and what her father did to her was "outrageous."
It was a gross breach of authority and trust, "all for his own perverse appetite."
In relation to his daughter's evidence that in sentencing him that she too would be sentenced, Judge Groarke said that was "all wrong" and was a form of abuse "even if done subtly", if, 14 years later, she believed she would suffer if he went to prison.
He imposed two-year jail terms on each of the five counts to which he pleaded guilty but suspended them on his entering into a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for four years. He ordered him to be put on the sex offenders register.