11 YEARS JAIL FOR EVIL DAD WHO ABUSED HIS DAUGHTER
»»Ordeal first started when victim was three »»Woman waived her right to anonymity
A MAN who sexually abused and raped his daughter over 13 years has been jailed for 11-and-a-half years.
Patrick Honan, 69, was found guilty following a Central Criminal Court trial in February of 48 sample counts, including 25 of rape and 23 of indecent assault.
The victim in this case, Noreen Honan, has waived her right to anonymity to allow her father to be named.
The abuse took place at the family home at Lake View, Doonbeg, Co Clare, between 1977 and 1989 when she was aged between three-and-a-half and 16.
It included inappropriate touching, forced kissing and rape.
Honan of Lake View, Doonbeg, Kilrush, Co Clare, does not accept the verdicts of the jury and maintains his innocence, the court was previously told.
Yesterday, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford imposed a 13-year custodial sentence, with the final 18 months suspended.
She also directed him not to approach Ms Honan at any time now or into the future.
The judge said she would take indecent assault charges into consideration, noting that they are “part of a continuing pattern of abuse which occurred in the context of the rape allegations”.
She backdated the sentence to the date Honan entered custody.
Imposing sentence, Ms Justice Lankford noted the prolonged period of abuse, the “enormous” breach of trust, and the age disparity.
She said the offending occurred in the victim’s family home, where “she was entitled to feel safe” and the abuse occurred at the “hands of someone who had a duty to protect and nurture her”.
The judge said she took Honan’s personal circumstances and the mitigation into consideration, including his age, health issues and work history.
Speaking outside court afterwards, Ms Honan said: “My father is Patrick Honan, he raped and sexually abused me from the age of three to 16 in our family home.
“He stole my whole youth. I have suffered mentally and physically all my life because of the abuse.
“It was only in 2017 that I became strong enough to face what he did to me head-on.
“I built up the courage to take the first step, I would like to encourage all victims of sexual violence to take the first step and come forward.”
At a previous hearing, Colman Cody SC, defending, asked the court to make an order Honan’s anonymity should be maintained, notwithstanding the victim’s wishes, due to the “collateral impact” on the wider family.
He said several family members are “very concerned” as they have the same name as the accused.
Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford agreed to consider the defence’s application on the last date and directed that neither Honan nor the victim could be named in media reports until the case was finalised.
Yesterday, defence counsel repeated the application for reporting restrictions to be extended.
Ms Justice Lankford said she had considered the issue, but
He stole my youth. I have suffered mentally and physically due to the abuse
could not accede to the defence’s application.
She noted the jury’s guilty verdicts and that Ms Honan had indicated a wish to waive her right to anonymity.
The judge said there is “no question of anonymity attaching to the accused from today’s date”.
Addressing the victim, Ms Justice Lankford said Ms Honan had behaved in a “dignified” manner throughout the trial process and she commended her bravery. At an earlier court hearing, Garda Daniel Corkery told Dean Kelly SC, prosecuting, the victim recalls the first incident took place when she was approximately three-and-a-half years old.
The final incident of rape occurred when she was 16.
The victim made a complaint to gardai in 2019.
Honan was arrested in July 2020 and when interviewed, denied the allegations.
The investigating garda said Honan answered some questions, and made certain comments which cast aspersions on his daughter’s lifestyle and character.
A victim impact statement was read to the court by Mr Kelly.
Ms Honan said her father “stole” her childhood and she wonders what life might have been like if she had grown up in “a normal household”.
She said she didn’t want to see her
father prosecuted, but wanted him to take responsibility for his actions.
Ms Honan said his lack of acceptance has hurt her as much as the abuse.
The local garda agreed with defence counsel that his client was co-operative with the investigation and has not come to recent negative garda attention.
It was also accepted that Honan has a reputation as a hard-working man and as a successful businessman.
In his plea of mitigation, Mr Cody said Honan has “lost his livelihood, family and now his liberty”.
His client has been in custody since conviction and the “mere fact of confinement for a day or a month is like a lifetime to him”.
Honan has support from his family and his sons were in court with him.
A number of testimonials were handed in on his behalf.