Saturday 31 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21021Rape and sexual abuse of children · Co. Dublin

Father, three sons and wife on trial over alleged sexual abuse of four family members

A 66-year-old man, his three sons aged 38, 40 and 41, and his 63-year-old wife are on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. They are charged with sexual offences against four members of their extended Traveller family, who were children at the time, with the alleged offences occurring between 1999 and 2005 in various locations around the country. The five defendants deny all charges on an indictment of 126 counts, which includes charges of rape against a sister, a niece and a granddaughter. In closing speeches, the prosecutor said the case depended on the complainants' veracity, while the defence said the timeline of a nephew's allegations was entirely inconsistent. The trial is due to resume on Monday before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and the jury.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court17 May
    3 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Five members of an extended Traveller family are on trial at the Central Criminal Court on numerous sexual abuse charges.
  • A 66-year-old man and his three sons, aged 38, 40 and 41, are charged with sexually abusing four family members who were children at the time.
  • The 63-year-old mother is charged with assaulting her nephew and granddaughter and with assisting a son who allegedly raped her granddaughter.
Where
The alleged offences occurred in various locations around the country, and alleged rapes are said to have occurred in a caravan and a car at the side of the road in Connacht and Leinster.
When
The alleged offences occurred between 1999 and 2005.
Charges
  • The 38-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 36 charges, including 22 counts of raping his sister.
  • The 41-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 31 charges, including two of anal rape and one of raping his niece.
  • The 66-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, including two of anally raping his granddaughter and 23 against his nephew.
  • Reports differ on the niece count: one source says the 41-year-old faces one count of raping his niece, while another says the 38-year-old faces two charges of raping his niece.
In court
  • There are 126 counts on the indictment, and all five defendants deny all the charges against them.
  • The jury heard recordings of the 38-year-old's and the 41-year-old's garda interviews, and the sister, now 36, gave evidence that her father sexually assaulted her from around the age of seven or eight.
  • In closing speeches, the prosecutor said the case depended on whether the jury was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt as to the veracity of the four complainants, and the defence said the timeline of the nephew's allegations was entirely inconsistent.
  • The trial is due to resume on Monday before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and the jury.
Other details
The complainants are the oldest man's daughter and granddaughter and two nephews, and the complainants and accused are all part of an extended Traveller family.
23 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatFive family members are on trial at the Central Criminal Court on numerous sexual abuse charges. (rte.ie)
  • whatA 66-year-old man and his three sons are on trial charged with sexually abusing four family members who were children at the time. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe alleged rapes would have occurred in a caravan and a car at the side of the road in Connacht and Leinster. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe alleged offences occurred in various locations around the country. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe alleged offences occurred between 1999 and 2005. (irishtimes.com, rte.ie)
  • chargeThe 38-year-old, his father and two brothers are on trial on numerous counts of sexually abusing four members of their extended family. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe mother is also on trial, charged with assaulting her nephew and granddaughter and assisting her son. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe 38-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 36 charges, including 22 counts of raping his sister. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe 41-year-old has pleaded not guilty to 31 charges, including two of anal rape and one of raping his niece. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe 63-year-old wife is charged with assisting a son who allegedly raped her granddaughter, and with assaulting her granddaughter and nephew. (rte.ie)
  • chargeThere are 126 counts on the indictment. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe 63-year-old wife of the oldest man is charged with assisting a son who allegedly raped her granddaughter, and with assaulting her granddaughter and nephew. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe 66-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to 25 charges, including two of anally raping his granddaughter and 23 against his nephew. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThere are 126 counts on the indictment and all five defendants deny the charges. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe jury at the Central Criminal Court heard recordings of the 38-year-old's interview with gardaí. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe five defendants deny all of the charges against them. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe 66-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to 25 charges. (rte.ie)
  • courtIn his closing speech, the prosecutor told the jury the case depended on whether it was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt with the veracity of the four complainants. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe defence counsel told the jury the timeline of the nephew's allegations was entirely inconsistent. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe trial resumes on Monday before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring and the jury. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe sister, now aged 36, gave evidence that her father sexually assaulted her from around the age of seven or eight. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe complainants and the accused are all part of an extended Traveller family. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe complainants are the oldest couple's daughter and granddaughter and their two nephews. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 19 May2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Four children sexually abused and ‘treated like dogs’ by family, court hears

    Reports the closing speeches of prosecution and defence in a multi-defendant trial, the 126 counts on the indictment, the charges against each defendant, and that the trial resumes on Monday.

    accused, 66, maleaccused, 38, maleaccused, 40, maleaccused, 41, maleaccused, 63, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, malevictim, male
  2. 19 May2023
    In courtrte.ie, first report
    Abuse trial told alleged victims 'treated like dogs'

    Reports the closing speeches to the jury in the trial, the defence and prosecution arguments, and that the trial resumes on Monday.

    accused, 66, maleaccused, 38, maleaccused, 40, maleaccused, 41, maleaccused, 63, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, malevictim, male
  3. 17 May2023
    In courtirishtimes.com, first report
    Rape accused told gardaí his father ‘should be punished’ for having a child with his own daughter

    Trial report: the jury heard recordings of the 38-year-old's garda interview and of the 41-year-old's interviews, and the sister, now 36, gave evidence.

    accused, 38, maleaccused, 66, maleaccused, 40, maleaccused, 41, maleaccused, 63, femalevictim, 36, female