A man has been jailed for eleven years for abusing his stepdaughter at the family home over a three-year period, beginning in November 2015.
The judge described the abuse as ‘appalling, degrading and humiliating.’
The 41-year-old man, who can’t be named to protect his stepdaughter’s identity, pleaded guilty to multiple charges of rape and exploitation charges.
He also admitted forcing her to take videos and photos of the abuse.
The girl was aged between 11 and 14 years old during the years of offending, and he threatened to publish the photos online if she didn’t do as he asked.
Following his arrest last year, he told gardaí he abused her at least 120 times and had said that in one day, she took 50 photos of herself under his instruction.
He told gardaí he had described it to her as their little secret, and accepted she would have been afraid of him.
The court heard the girl, who’s now 16, is in State care and currently attending a child psychologist.
In her victim impact statement, she said she used to call him Dad, and she thought parents are supposed to look after you. She said she wants to know why, and also wants an apology.
Mr. J Paul McDermott sentenced him to twelve years in prison, but suspended the final year.
