She described herself as a “survivor” with no happy memories of her childhood. Ms Prendergast outlined in her victim impact statement that she no longer wanted to call the accused man her brother and referred to him as “X.” He handed down a sentence of six years and suspended the final 18 months on a number of conditions. The judge noted that the man was a child during much of the period of abuse and that he must sentence him accordingly. “That effect is long-lasting and continuous.” “He inflicted awful damage on their growth and development as children,” he said. The judge said Rafter engaged in a serious breach of trust when he abused his sisters, abusing one sister before moving on to the younger girl.
Mr Justice McDermott said the women were subjected to further abuse by family members' “desperate attempts to prevent reporting of their abuse for the sake of the family name”. People must have confidence to come forward and know when they do that they will be listened to.” “It is a difficult thing to do and a difficult path to take,” the judge said. Passing sentence on Tuesday, Mr Justice Paul McDermott paid tribute to the women for their courage in coming forward, saying they deserve nothing but praise from their community. She said he had taken every avenue to avoid justice and pleaded at the eleventh hour like “a rat caught in a trap.” One of the women said her brother had taken no responsibility for his actions and had been the core cause of the family breakdown. They watched as their brother was being “minded and fussed over.” The sisters described how they were not allowed attend their father’s funeral and had to watch via the parish webcam. The two women outlined in their statements how, after they made their disclosures, family relationships had broken down and their names were “blackened and smeared” by family members who claimed they were “out for money” and should “get over it” as it was 30 years ago. Rafter was aged 14 at the start of his offending and about 19 when it ended.īoth women waived their anonymity in order for their brother to be named. Ms Rafter and Ms Prendergast were both younger sisters of Rafter, and were aged between six and 10 years and nine and 11 years old at the time of the abuse. Christopher Rafter, of The Hermitage, Portlaoise, Co Laois, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape and sexual assault of two of his sisters at the family home on dates between 19.
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