A court has heard how the victim of a Kerry sports coach was bled dry by memories of his abuse.
The 63-year-old had been found guilty of the rape and sexual assault of minors on May 1st.
The victim impact statement was presented yesterday at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.
Detective Garda Darragh McGuire read a victim impact statement into the record, which the Irish Examiner described as “powerful and disturbing”.
A jury had unanimously found the 63-year-old sports coach guilty of raping one girl three times, orally raping her nine times, and sexually assaulting her nine times.
He was found guilty of sexually assaulting a second girl nine times.
They were aged 15 to 17 at the time of the crimes.
The victim impact statement was presented on behalf of the woman who had been raped and repeatedly sexually abused.
The Irish Examiner reports that the survivor said in her statement that the man had used his position as her coach, mentor, and teacher to manipulate and force her to do things no teenager should ever have to do.
Her victim impact statement, read by Detective Garda Darragh McGuire, stated, "You were 40 years older than me, and I was a child."
Her statement described how he had driven a wedge between her and her parents, and how he set his control on her from early on, slapping her face when she was 13.
The convicted man’s senior counsel, Ray Boland, said he could not express remorse on behalf of his client as the man doesn't accept the jury's verdict.
Mr Boland said the man has a “good history of hard work”, and asked the court to be “as lenient as possible."
Ms Justice Siobhán Lanford said she needed to consider the evidence and the victim impact statement before sentencing.
She remanded the man in custody for sentencing on June 3rd.
Anyone affected by this report, may contact the Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre on freephone 1800 633 333, or the 24-hour National Rape Crisis Helpline on freephone 1800 77 88 88.
