Man charged with raping son

A man has been arrested and appeared before Longford District Court yesterday (Tuesday) charged with child rape, attempted child rape, and child cruelty, as well as coercive control of, and threats to kill or cause serious harm to his former partner.

The man, who cannot be named due to the nature of his charges, appeared less than two weeks after his two sons were found guilty of charges relating to the defilement of their sister, on dates unknown between September 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015, when they were children.

During the course of a lengthy Circuit Court trial earlier this month, it was heard that the two young men, who were aged 14 to 15 and 13 to 14 at the time of the offences, had been under alleged duress from their father and their uncle, who told them to have sex with their sister. She was aged ten to 11 at the time of the offences.

That uncle is currently serving a number of consecutive prison sentences amounting to 26 years for the rape of various child relatives, including the anal rape of the accused's daughter in the dugout of a local GAA pitch while he was on bail awaiting trial for other child rape charges.

Earlier this month, the younger of the two brothers was found guilty of two counts of sex with a child under 15. He was found not guilty of two further counts of sex with a child.

The older brother was found guilty of one count of anally penetrating a child under the age of 15. He was found not guilty, by order of the trial judge, on one count of sex with the child.

The brothers, in their interviews with Gardaí, both made allegations against their father, stating that he had told them to go up and “do stuff” with their sister. They alleged their father or uncle would beat them if they refused. It was also alleged that their father went up to the bedroom door to make sure the boys were having sex with their younger sister, and that the man had raped the younger of the two brothers.

Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution this morning, Detective Garda Rachel Duignan told Judge Bernadette Owens that the accused had made no reply to a charge of coercive control relating to his former partner, in the family home on dates unknown between March 23 and September 14, 2020.

“I didn't go near him,” was his reply to a charge of child cruelty against one of his sons on a date unknown between September 15, 2015, and September 14, 2016.

He replied “I didn't threaten her” to a charge of threatening to kill or cause serious harm to his former partner on a date unknown in August 2020.

To two charges of raping his son on separate dates unknown between November 28, 2011, and November 27, 2012, and one charge of attempting to rape him on a date unknown between April 9, 2013, and April 8, 2014, he replied “I never touched him”, “I didn't touch him” and “I didn't go near him”.

He made no reply to a charge of child cruelty regarding his daughter on dates unknown between April 9, 2013, and April 8, 2014.

No application was made to remand the accused in custody and Judge Owens remanded him on bail subject to a number of conditions, including that he make no contact with any of the complainants in the case and that he sign on daily.

The accused will reappear on May 6, 2025.