Retired member of Irish Defence Forces jailed for sexually abusing his young daughter
Father jailed for 10 years for sexually abusing his daughter almost two decades ago
A retired member of the Irish Defence Forces has been jailed for 10 years for sexually abusing his young daughter almost two decades ago.
Gerard Lawless (61) pleaded guilty to four counts of oral rape and seven counts of sexual assault on dates between 1991 and 1998 at the family's then home in Dublin.
Danielle Lawless waived her right to anonymity to allow her father, of Elmdale Crescent, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, to be named.
In a powerful victim impact statement, Ms Lawless said her father was not just the perpetrator of these “heinous acts”, but was someone who should have protected and looked after her.
Ms Lawless said her father “manipulated my understanding of love and affection” and spoke of her “unwavering determination” to protect her own children from the “horrors I endured”.
The Central Criminal Court heard that the first incident of sexual assault took place when Ms Lawless was around five and she had gone to her parents' room for a play and a cuddle.
The offending was not continuous during the period. The court was told that most of the counts of sexual assault and oral rape are sample charges and refer primarily to a 17-month period between October 1995 and April 1997 when the victim was around ten years old.
The final two counts of sexual assault occurred on unknown dates between November 1997 and August 1998, when Ms Lawless was then about 12 years old.
Lawless had been due to stand trial last December, but a plea was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He joined the Defence Forces in 1980 and served overseas, including in Lebanon. He retired in 2013 on medical grounds and is in ill health, the court heard.
Mr Justice Paul McDermott he handed Lawless a global prison sentence of 10 years, directing him to undergo three years of post-release supervision and to have no contact either directly or indirectly with the victim.
Mr Justice McDermott said the sexual abuse continued and escalated during the victim's childhood and the fact that there was an “interruption” of the abuse didn't “detract from its awful nature or that it dominated her childhood”.
He noted the serious and long lasting effects of the abuse as outlined in the victim impact statement and said Ms Lawless was “in fact groomed from a very young age, she was in fact inveigled in to his world of sick games, and ended up with confused feelings throughout her childhood”.
Mr Justice McDermott said the court was concerned that the probation report states that Lawless retains a “very warped view” of what happened and while regret is expressed, “there is no understanding of the serious harm caused” to the victim.
An investigating garda told Gerard Clarke SC, prosecuting, that Lawless is the adopted father of the victim, having married her mother when she was very young.
She outlined that the abuse included inappropriate touching, masturbation and oral sex. All of the abuse, except the first incident, occurred while the victim's mother was at work.
The abuse ended when the victim was 12. Her father told her that what they were doing was wrong and it should remain a secret.
Ms Lawless told her mother about the abuse in 2018 before making a complaint to gardai. Her mother and Lawless had separated in 2013, the court heard.
Lawless didn't work after retiring from the Defence Forces due to health issues, but did carry out voluntary work, including for St Patrick's Athletic, the court heard.