Two sisters who were subject to “appalling” sexual abuse by a family friend when they were children have secured a total of €600,000 damages from the High Court against their abuser.
Mr Justice Michael Hanna ruled the sisters must not be identified in any way.
The man who abused the sisters was jailed for seven years in 2006 after pleading guilty to charges of oral rape, attempted rape and sexual assault relating to the abuse, which occurred between 1995 and 2004.
The sisters later took High Court proceedings seeking damages and the case was before Mr Justice Hanna today to assess the amount to be awarded as the defence side conceded liability.
Mr Justice Hanna said this was an appalling case of sexual abuse. Both girls had been exposed to "depravity" which nobody should ever experience in their lives, he said.
The court was told one sister was abused between the ages of one and five years old while the other was abused when she was aged between six and twelve.
As a result of the abuse, one sister suffered post traumatic stress syndrome, had panic attacks, an eating disorder and difficulties at school and the other underwent significant psychiatric treatment.
Awarding €400,000 damages to one sister and €200,000 to the other, the judge said the compensation was an imperfect way of helping the girls meet closure in the matter but he hoped it would assist them in the future.
Stephen Lannigan O'Keeffe SC, for the sister, was granted an order that €120,000 held by the convicted man in the Anglo Irish Bank and €50,000 in the Ulster Bank be paid into court for the benefit of the two victims.