A teenage girl who complained of sexual abuse by her now 74-year-old stepfather was put into care and remained there until she married.
"She received a term of imprisonment for several years while he continued living in the family home," said Judge Cyril Kelly at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court when he jailed the man for 21 months.
The widower also admitted sexually abusing the teenager's young sister daily for four years, between the age of eight and 12.
Judge Kelly said the maximum sentence for the offences to which the defendant pleaded guilty was two years. However, by direction of the superior courts he had to allow a reduction because of the defendant's guilty pleas. i.
Judge Kelly noted the defendant told a probation officer his younger victim "wanted" his actions. The man pleaded guilty to five charges of abuse on one girl and three on the second one on dates almost 20 years ago.
Judge Kelly said their lives with him were absolutely horrific. From his first day in their home he came into the younger girl's bedroom and exposed himself. He then abused her every day for the next four years. He said both victims suffered bouts of depression and still needed counselling. The then teenage victim once consumed a bottle of tablets.
Her mother walked into the bedroom one day while the defendant was stroking the girl's genital area and demanded to know what was happening. He just got up from the bed and walked out of the room, while the victim's mother stared at the girl and made her feel guilty. This victim got into the habit of constantly taking baths "to scrub herself clean because she felt dirty" as a result of his actions.