A 75-year-old man will spend most, if not all, of the rest of his life in prison for the repeated abuse of his younger sister and seven daughters.
James O’Reilly of Killeens, Ballynonty, Thurles, Co. Tipperary was jailed for 20 years today after being convicted of 58 counts of rape and nine counts of sexual assault.
James O’Reilly can be named because his victims waived their right to anonymity.
His trial heard his younger sister was his first victim in 1977, and over the next 23-years he subjected the girls to the most horrific sexual and physical abuse.
He beat, starved and degraded them, and threatened to cut the throat of one of his daughters if she told anyone what he did.
One of his daughter’s became pregnant with his child in late 1988. DNA tests confirmed he was the father – something that was used to secure his conviction.
The level of psychological abuse inflicted on the girls was also harrowing. One of them said she didn’t know what a Christmas present was until she became an adult.
The embraced each other outside court afterwards, and encouraged anyone who has been abused to break their silence and come forward.
Mr. J Tony Hunt said the mitigating factors offered carried little weight. He decided against a life sentence given his poor health, and instead jailed him for 20 years.
