Evil dad abused daughters and niece
»»Predator’s11-year jail term for attacks »»Survivors say he got off lightly
This is the face of an evil rapist who has just been jailed for attacking his daughters and niece.
John Doyle, 49, was jailed this week for 11 years after being found guilty of two counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault against his daughters Rebecca, Samantha and niece Winnie Whelan between 2006 and 2017.
Speaking exclusively today, his daughter and survivor Samantha Doyle said she didn’t feel the sentence was long enough – nor does she believe her father will ever admit his guilt.
She added: “I feel that no jail sentence is long enough for someone who does something like that so yes naturally I would have hoped he got more time.
“I don’t think he will ever admit to what he has done out of shame. He would never be looked at the same again in society.
“An apology would never change what has been done to me and my sister and cousin but at the same it would have been nice to get one.”
Imposing sentence on Monday, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford described the offending as a “significant breach of trust of the gravest kind”.
She added: “For a father to rape his two daughters is something that is anathema to right-thinking members of society.”
She said it was an aggravating factor that Doyle abused his daughters in the family home, a “place they should have been able to feel safe and protected”.
Doyle, of Littleton, Co Tipperary, was found guilty of one count of rape and sexual assault in relation to Rebecca.
He was also convicted of one count of rape and two of sexual assault against Samantha.
Doyle also sexually assaulted Winnie, who was just 14 while she was babysitting for an aunt who lived next door to Doyle.
Speaking with her fellow survivors, Samantha said: “We are happy a guilty verdict was given and finally we have been believed.
“That I will say it’s hard that a jury of 12 strangers could listen to our story and thankfully see that we were telling the truth.
“It gave us a sense of relief that we were believed and the truth came out. We are happy with the justice the court gave us.
“However, I feel that no jail sentence is long enough for someone who does something like that.
“I hope he uses his time to reflect on what he has done and learns to show remorse and learns the wrongs of his doings.
“Of course this has affected me and his other victims mentally and physically.
“It isn’t something that will never just go away. It stays with you for life. It changes you as an individual.
“It brings us comfort to know that we are a voice for other girls going through the same thing that we did and hopefully they will see that it’s OK to speak out. “I hope any girl or boy going through the same as we did know that it’s OK to speak out, say no and that it’s a hard process in coming forward.
“It can be frightening and you might feel ashamed but I hope they realise it’s no shame on them, it’s the predator who should be ashamed.
“I would also like to add how important it is for family to stick with family members going through a case like this.
“They need a strong support system We would also like to thank the gardai and the justice system.”
In harrowing victim impact statements given in court and shared with the Irish Mirror, Samantha recalled when the abuse was happening she was “afraid, ashamed and confused”.
She added: “People said I was wild but the behaviours were just a reaction to what happened to me because I didn’t know how to talk about it.
“When I did say what happened to me no one believed me. That hurt me and affected my relationships with my family.
“I was sad all the time and hated my life. I kept going for my sons. The stigma of being considered ‘used,’ ‘raped’ and unclean was destroying me.
“My attacker pleading not guilty meant I had to give evidence in court, stand up and talk about the worst time in my life in front of strangers. I was terrified because I don’t like to talk about it.”
After Doyle was sent down Rebecca said: “I have hope again. Something I didn’t have for the longest time, but all the waiting was well worth it in the end.”
Winnie recalled: “He made me feel scared, really scared of what he would do next. I remember feeling relief when he left the house that night.
“I felt like I had done something wrong by letting people know what had happened to me at the time. I felt ashamed of what he had done.
“The feeling of disgust and shame never really left me growing up and still even today, I still feel ashamed.”
This stays with you for life. It will never go away SAMANTHA DOYLE ASSAULT SURVIVOR
SEX