A man in his 70s who abused his young nephew in a shed every month for five years has been jailed for seven years.
The man, who cannot be named to protect his victim’s identity, appeared at Letterkenny Circuit Court.
The boy was aged between just 6 and 9 years old when he was indecently assaulted by the farmer between 1979 and 1984.
The man had protested his innocence up until the morning of his trial on December 12th, last year when he finally pleaded guilty.
Some details of the horrific abuse were given in court as Judge John Aylmer passed sentence on the man.
Judge Aylmer revealed how the boy was assaulted when he went to visit his aunt’s house while his mother was in hospital on occasion.
He was taken to a shed where he tried to resist but he was penetrated by his uncle to the point of pain.
When he refused to go to the shed his attacker heaved up phlegm and spat in the boy’s face.
Judge Aylmer said the assaults were of the “most depraved nature” and ranked at the upper end of the scale of such offences.
Members of the man’s family including his wife sat in court while the details were given and supported him.
The boy was also shown pornography in the kitchen of the house and was warned by his uncle that he would face serious consequences if he told anybody at what had happened.
The abuse had had a profound effect on the boy’s life and he drank alcohol excessively and lost his marriage as a result.
Passing sentence Judge Aylmer said there were strong aggravating factors including the level and force of the violence used against the boy on a monthly basis over five years.
He said there were some mitigating factors in the accused man’s favour including his plea, albeit coming late in the day and that he had not come to Garda attention since 1984.
Judge Aylmer accepted evidence from the man’s wife that he is remorseful, that he suffers from serious depression and that he is not in good health.
He added that the accused will find prison difficult and that he has been undergoing counselling for the past four years.
He jailed the man for a total of seven years.