A man who spent four decades sexually abusing and raping two of his sisters, his niece and later his own two daughters has been sentenced to life, reports RTE.
Richard O’Brien, 61, denied all crimes but was unanimously convicted by a jury following a trial earlier this year.
His five victims said today that they waived their right to anonymity so that his name would be known.
The Central Criminal Court heard that the abuse of his two sisters and a niece took place at his family’s home on Moore Road, Ballyford and continued until all three women left as teenagers.
The women described growing up in a dysfunctional home, where there was neglect and physical abuse, and there was little point in disclosing the abuse they suffered at the hands of their brother.
They described her fear of O’Brien, who would also physically assault her.
O’Brien abused and raped his two daughters until they were taken into custody.
One of his daughters later told her foster mother that her father had sexually abused her and the Gardai were informed. Her younger sister, aunts and cousins also got in touch, reports RTE.
O’Brien, of Cremona Road, Ballyford, Dublin, was convicted by a grand jury on 63 counts of rape, sexual assault and indecent assault on the five victims between 1975 and 2011.
In today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Mary Ellen Ring emphasized the enormous evidence heard during the trial and the enormous harm done to each and every victim.
They told them that they had nothing to be ashamed of and that they had done nothing wrong.
“The only person in this court room who should be ashamed is Richard O’Brien,” she said, reports RTE.
Judge Ring told them that they had achieved so much against all odds that it was now time to let their brother go. They wished them all the best for the future.
Mr Justice Ring said O’Brien was approaching his final years and had medical problems.
They included medical reports and letters from family members that were presented to the court.
Mr Justice Ring found that O’Brien had shown no remorse and had not accepted his offence.
They said the offense against his two daughters was “at the very apex” of aggravated rape.
Mr Justice Ring said that when he started abusing his own daughters he was an adult, he may have been married out of negligence, but now his own family has raised him and he has made a conscious choice rape and sexually assault his own flesh and blood until the social services weighed in.
They said he was still unaware of the damage done.
Mr Justice Ring handed down a life sentence for the rape offenses O’Brien started against his two daughters, reports RTE.
At the same time, she imposed prison sentences totaling eleven years for the other crimes.
The sentences begin with O’Brien’s imprisonment in March.
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