Galway Bay FM Newsroom - A Galway man who was found guilty of the rape and sexual assault of his niece has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.
The case has been before the Central Criminal Court
In April this year a jury found the accused, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, guilty of two counts of rape, one count of anal rape and two counts of sexual assault.
The court heard that the offending took place in the west of Ireland between December 2008 and 2013, when the victim was aged between seven and 13.
The accused has 12 previous convictions, including a conviction for sexual assault, for which he was sentenced to three years in prison.
The court heard the injured party and the accused lived in the same estate during the time of the offending, with the accused man living in a caravan.
Det Gda Keenan said the accused would tell the injured party that she was ugly, slap and push her. The rapes all happened in his caravan
Passing sentence Ms Justice Karen O’Connor highlighted the strength and courage displayed by the victim in making the complaint and following through on that complaint in circumstances where she is in a tight-knit community.
Judge O’Connor said the injured party is sending out a message to other children that they are not alone in the circumstances of abuse and added that it may encourage other children to come forward.
