A Donegal man who raped his teenage daughter has been jailed for nine years by Mr Justice Carney at the Central Criminal Court.
Desmond Morrison (59), a father of eight, of Ballyboe, Rathmullen, was convicted by a jury after a four-day trial in April of raping her after pushing her against a tree while they were out walking in a forest between November 1st, 1996, and November 10th, 1996, in a Donegal town.
Morrison denied the charge at his trial. The jury returned its guilty verdict after deliberating for just under four hours. She was about 15-16 years old at the time.
Sgt Richard Conneelly agreed with prosecuting counsel, Mr Paul Coffey SC, that the victim wanted her father named in the media.
Mr Justice Carney said he considered an 11-year sentence would be appropriate in the case of a younger man in the whole of his health but the evidence indicated that Morrison was in bad health as was his wife.
He noted that the victim had been estranged from her family as a result of her complaint. She had made a determined suicide attempt and was still considered a suicide risk.
Mr Justice Carney noted also that the probation report considered Morrison could possibly reoffend.
He certified Morrison as a sexual offender in accordance with the Sexual Offenders Act 2001 and refused leave to appeal.
The victim told a jury of seven women and five men she overdosed on over 40 paracetamol tablets shortly after her father raped her. She also ran away from home later because she wanted to avoid her father.
She said she felt very sore and painful when he raped her and also from being pushed against the tree during the act.
She agreed with defence counsel, Mr Ciaran O'Loughlin SC, that she had not told her doctors after she overdosed that her father had raped her, nor had she told anyone else at the time. She also agreed she did not get along with her parents at the time.