Trial of Carlow man for rape of nieces hears evidence
The trial of a Carlow man accused of raping his nieces has been hearing evidence from their mother and from a former next door neighbour who claims she was also abused by him.
The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to 91 charges of rape, attempted rape and indecent assault against the three girls in a Carlow town between February 1978 and December 1986.
The jury has heard evidence the accused man’s parents died in the 1970s when he was 13 years old and that he went to live in his brother’s house.
The younger of the two said her uncle used to first bribe her into his bedroom on the promise of a Walnut Whip or to listen to his Wombles record.
The girl's next door neighbour has given evidence that she too was indecently assaulted while the mother of the girls has described finding a dirty book under his mattress.
She has said she went to her husband in shock after one incident where she found the accused at a bedroom door with her daughter on the bed who told her that he had been at his trousers.
She said her husband reacted by going up and saying "if you ever leave your hand on one of my children I will leave you dead."
