Two women who were repeatedly raped and sexually abused by a neighbour when they were schoolgirls have been awarded a total of €4.7 million damages by juries in the High Court.
The awards were made to cousins Geraldine Nolan (nee Forbes) and Jacqueline O'Toole, who had sued Joseph Carrick.
The juries found he had sexually assaulted and raped them during the early 1970s, starting when they 12 and 13 years of age.
This evening, the High Court awarded Mrs O'Toole €4m against Carrick. Mrs Nolan was awarded €700,000 yesterday.
Barrister Richard Lyons SC for the women, who had been friends since childhood, said they were "systematically raped and dominated by this monster". What Carrick put them through during their childhood was "beyond comprehension".
Carrick was a "evil paedophile", he added.
The High Court heard that the abuse had a devastating effect on their lives. Mrs O'Toole said she become pregnant at the age of 15 years as a result of being raped by Carrick and gave up her infant daughter for adoption.
Carrick, now aged 72, with an address at Carysfort Woods, Blackrock, Co Dublin but originally from Creighton Street in Dublin 2, did not contest the actions against him and was not present in court during the trials.
In two separate trials heard by different juries, presided over by Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne, both Mrs Nolan and Mrs O'Toole said they were raped and indecently assaulted by Carrick on many occasions between 1970 and 1973.
They both knew Carrick after joining a local church choir.