A 79-year-old Co Cavan man has been jailed for 11 years for raping his son's sister-in-law when she was a young girl.
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Costello at court
this morning |
John Costello, Hillview, Ballyhaise, Cavan, who will turn 79 tomorrow, was convicted by a jury of 16 counts of raping and five counts of indecently assaulting the victim on dates between September 1988 and April 1990.
Mr Justice Kevin O'Higgins suspended all but the final 18 months of this sentence due to Costello's advanced age and ill health. He has been in custody since his conviction on May 15th last.
Costello had denied these charges during his four-day trial at the Central Criminal Court but had pleaded guilty previously to two counts of sexually abusing the victim between the same dates.
The victim - who was 11-years-old when the abuse started - asked in court for Costello to be named in public.