A man who sexually abused his 10-year-old daughter has been given a three-year suspended sentence by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He wept throughout the hearing.
Garda David Kemp said the abuse took place in Dublin, Tipperary and the girl's home in England. The man told gardai he was an alcoholic and had no memory of what he had done but accepted that what his daughter said was true.
He pleaded guilty to three sample counts of sexual assault in 1997. Mr Hugh Hartnett SC said his client was now in Alcoholics Anonymous and had entered a therapy programme.
Judge Dunne said the victim had to deal with the trauma of sexual abuse as well as the pain of the broken relationship with her father. She was not going to jail him because of the effect his therapy has had so far.