A 59-year-old man has been jailed for 11 and a half years for the assault and rape of his three young cousins, 27 years after he made admissions to gardaí.
Thomas Collins, of the Fair Green, Frenchpark, Co Roscommon, pleaded guilty to 21 sample counts of indecent assault, attempted rape and rape involving the three siblings, the youngest of whom was three years old when the abuse began.
According to RTE, Gerard, Catherine and Gretta Conlon waived their right to anonymity to allow Collins to be named and appealed for other victims to come forward.
Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring said Gretta and Catherine Conlon had been pressurised by a garda sergeant to withdraw their complaints after they first made them in 1997, in actions that had "all the hallmarks of misconduct in a public office".
She said it was a case that should have been dealt with "decades ago".
Both women dropped the complaints a short time later. The women complained to gardaí again in June 2002. Mr Collins stood over his previous admissions.
He said he was sorry for what he had done, that he was very young and did not realise the harm he had caused. A file was sent to the DPP but no prosecution was directed, despite the admissions.
In 2018, the sisters became aware that Collins had abused another vulnerable woman. They then went back to gardaí and reactivated their complaints.
Collins received a ten and a half years sentence for these offences last year.
Their brother also complained to gardaí for the first time in 2018. Collins initially denied the allegations made by Mr Conlon but subsequently pleaded guilty to all the sample counts earlier this year.
Ms Justice Ring said she noted the lengthy journey Gretta and Catherine Conlon had been on.
She said 27 years had been travelled to this day and that spoke of the strength the women had, despite the incredible damage done to them by Collins. She said the case should have been dealt with decades ago.
She sentenced Collins to a total of 12-and-a-half years in jail but suspended the final year.
Speaking outside court, Gretta Conlon said today marked the culmination of decades of struggle, pain and resilience.
Ms Conlon said waiving their right to anonymity was a deeply difficult decision, and they fully appreciated the potential ramifications.
But she said they had chosen to do so because they believed it was vital for other victims of sexual abuse to come forward.
She urged any other victims to come forward and have their story heard.
She described today as a monumental step for them.
