A PAEDOPHILE who sexually assaulted his daughter and sister-in-law when they were children has been jailed for nine years.
Christopher O’Mahony, of Kerrykyle, Ardagh, Co Limerick, was charged with a total of 54 counts on indictment.
He pleaded guilty to 18 sample counts of sexually assaulting and indecently assaulting his daughter Emma O’Shaughnessy, nee O’Mahony, and his sister-in-law Helen Costelloe from when they were aged nine and ten in the 1980s and 1990s.
The two women welcomed the jail sentence.
Ms O’Shaughnessy, who described her father as a “monster” and a “paedophile”, and Ms Costelloe both said they wanted to encourage any other victims of sexual abuse, particularly child sex abuse, to speak up and bring abusers to justice.
Speaking after the monster was jailed, the two survivors thanked Judge Sinead McMullan for her “sensitive” handling of the matter.
They also called for more supports for rape crisis centres in order to cut waiting lists for abuse victims to see councillors.
Ms Costelloe, who was sexually abused by O’Mahony from when she was aged nine to 14-years-old, said she was “three years” on a counselling waiting list after she sought help.
She said: “There should be more supports out there, speedier supports, but once you get it, it’s absolutely brilliant, I would say it has helped me immensely.”
Ms O’Shaughnessy, who was sexually assaulted by her father from when she was aged 10 until 13-years-old, said an abuser’s defence team “can actually request your psychological evaluations and (notes) from your psychiatrist or your counsellor.”
She added that this “put me off seeking help because I felt that my abuser being able to pick through my thoughts and my feelings without my consent.
“That would be very upsetting and I think it’s something the legal system needs to address — perhaps only the judge should be able to look at it and decide whether it is admissible or not.”
O’Mahony was charged with a total of 54 counts on indictment and pleaded guilty to 18 sample counts of sexually assaulting and indecently assaulting the two girls on dates in the 1980s and 1990s.
‘BREACH OF TRUST’
The judge said O’Mahony used his daughter and sister-in-law as “objects” for his personal sexual enjoyment, which she added was a “huge breach of trust”.
She said: “When your father is your abuser, that is an egregious breach of trust; a parent is supposed to be their child’s protector.”
O’Mahony, who showed no emotion as he was led away to jail, instructed the court that he did not disagree with any of the evidence against him.
