A west Dublin man who sexually abused his daughter while reading her bedtime stories, as well as four nieces and children of family friends over a 15-year period, has had his sentence adjourned.
The 67-year-old man pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 14 sample counts of indecent assault against the seven female victims on dates between October 1974 and November 1989.
His now 40-year-old daughter wept as she told Judge Katherine Delahunt: "If your father does that to you and your mother stands by him, it makes you feel worthless."
She said "my heart is broken" over what her father had done to her, and the counselling she had received "made me realise we are adults and someone has to stand up for children".
The woman described feeling isolated, mistrustful of men and overprotective of her own children. "My father's guilty plea is the only thing I will say 'thank you' for."
The other women described in their victim impact reports how they suffered from suicidal feelings, mistrust of men, panic attacks and insomnia.
Many described a negative impact on family and marital relationships and having concerns about children being left alone with men.
Defence counsel Luigi Rea said his client was "a pariah in his own family" who had attended counselling and not re-offended since 1989.
He asked the court to consider a suspended sentence.
Judge Delahunt adjourned sentencing to allow her consider reports handed into court.
Det Garda Peter Cooney told prosecuting counsel Mary Rose Gearty that the man abused his daughter frequently between the ages of 11 and 13. The abuse would often occur while he was reading her bedtime stories, when he would put his hand into her underwear.
The woman told gardaí that the abuse happened while her mother was downstairs. She believed her mother was unaware of what was happening, but she did not tell her for fear of not being believed.
She told gardaí the last time her father came into her room to abuse her she told him "no" and wrapped herself in a duvet. He left and never touched her in that way again. She felt guilty for not stopping it earlier.
Det Garda Cooney said the man also abused four of his nieces in his own home and at their houses.
A now 40-year-old woman told gardaí she remembered her uncle first abusing her when she was aged 10 by touching her intimately when she came to stay with him. She said the abuse continued for three years.
A now 33-year-old niece told gardaí she remembered him abusing her when she was aged six in his house.
She said there were several people around the lounge when he put her sitting on his knee and covered her lap with a cushion.
The woman said her uncle also abused her for a period when she was aged 13, under the guise of giving her guitar lessons. She also recalled being abused on a family holiday when she was 15 years old.
Det Garda Cooney said a now 31- year-old niece told gardaí she could not remember when he first abused her but it went on until she was 13 years old.
Another niece recalled her uncle abusing her when she was "caught" in a game of "hide and seek". The now 33-year-old woman said she stopped the abuse by keeping away from him.
Det Garda Cooney said a friend of the man's daughter recalled being with a group of girls he brought in his car to a beach, where he would take turns sitting them on his knee and show them how to steer the car.
The now 39-year old woman said she had thought he was a "good fun dad" because he used to throw parties to which only young girls were invited.
She said he would abuse her as she lay in bed with his daughter and he would often walk in on them while they were changing into their night clothes.
She told gardaí she eventually stopped talking to the accused man's daughter and the abuse ceased.
Garda Cooney told Ms Gearty that the man also abused a 10-year-old girl from a family they became friendly with while on holidays. He said the man made some admissions and told gardaí he "had a problem with four or five girls".
The man, who has no previous convictions, told gardaí the abuse was "non-sexual" and he did it to feel "closer" to his daughter but could not explain why he also abused the other girls.
Mr Rea said his client was a retired man who was "a pariah in his own family" and would be "watched by a hawk's eye" by family members around children and was "punished every day in a very real way".
He said the man's wife, who sat beside him in the court throughout the hearing, was in "an appalling dilemma" and he had apologised for the position she found herself in. He said the man had sent letters of apology to his victims and now appreciated how traumatic the abuse had been for them.
Mr Rea said there were no aggravating factors and asked the court to consider a suspended sentence.