A KILDARE father of eight who sexually abused four daughters in his wife's presence in the marital bed was jailed yesterday for four years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The 46 year old man admitted four charges of sexually or indecently assaulting four daughters when they were aged seven upwards. He admitted one charge of indecently assaulting his eldest daughter in 1985 and three counts involving sexual abuse of the other daughters between 1992 and 1994.
Judge Gerard Buchanan described the series of assaults on the children as "appalling". He had abused his position of trust as their father. From reports before him the victims had been affected permanently.
Three of the girls opted to make statements as the family members wept and were comforted by social workers and Victim Support group members.
The oldest girl, who is now 17, told prosecuting counsel, Mr Patrick Gageby SC: "I like my father. I don't agree with what he did but he's still my father." Another daughter, aged 15, said: "I don't want my father to be against me." The youngest member of the family, now aged 10, told the court: "I do like my father but sometimes this upsets me."
Mr Gageby (with Mr John Aylmer) said the sexual abuse emerged in 1994 when their mother approached gardai and complained that a neighbour had been making sexual advances towards her eldest daughter.
Det Sgt P.J. Roan said the girls' teachers reported that they had often been without appropriate clothing or food. Their father had a serious drink problem and made a full admission of what had taken place.
Det Sgt Roan said the abuse had begun when the man called his eldest daughter into his bed while his wife slept. He had also ordered the girl not to tell anyone. On one occasion he asked his wife to go into another room and sexually abused one of the girls.
Victim impact assessments showed they were badly affected by the incidents. All but one son in the family had been taken into care.