A 55-year-old "self-righteous, God-fearing, domineering man who places great store by the Bible" has been sentenced to seven years' jail for raping his daughter.
The Co Clare-born lay preacher, who has lived in the midlands, Galway, Mayo and England, raped his daughter several times a week and often up to three times a night for years, the Central Criminal Court was told.
He pleaded guilty to charges of rape, incest, attempted rape, indecent assault and assault over a period of time. He had received an 18-month suspended sentence from Ennis Circuit Court in 1985 for incest with another daughter.
Mr Justice Carney heard that the girl's mother and her brothers were aware of the abuse but did nothing to stop it.
Sgt James Connor told Mr Patrick McCarthy SC, prosecuting, that the man had terrorised his daughter. She was traumatised and in frail health as result.
Sgt Connor added: "He considers everyone else less worthy than himself. He never expressed remorse for his actions."
The man admitted the offences and said in a statement to gardai he knew it was wrong but could not desist and claimed his daughter had consented to having sex with him.
Mr Justice Carney said it was a very serious offence. The only thing that could be said in the man's favour was that he had pleaded guilty. He suspended the final year of the sentence.