A man who raped and sexually abused his two younger sisters in their family home in Galway has been jailed for 13 and half years.
The 52-year-old man had denied the charges but was convicted following a trial by a Central Criminal Court jury.
The man had pleaded not guilty to all charges, relating to the rape and sexual abuse of his two younger sisters between 1988 and 1994.
They included several incidents where the youngest sister was between 8 and 12 years old, while he was between 16 and 20 years old.
The older sister read her victim impact statement into the record.
She said they all grew up in a busy, loving family home but she was sexually abused by her brother from a very young age.
She spoke of how they were a very religious family and she "had the fear of God that the nuns would take me away" if anyone found out.
She said her own children have suffered due to her insecurities and said the abuse "made her doubt" them.
She outlined that she would "almost take the door off the hinges" if she realised her children were by themselves innocently playing behind a closed door.
Her younger sister also read her victim impact statement into the record, and spoke of having to live with shame and guilt, self-harm, and "panic attacks and lots of tears".
The man, who is married with adult daughters, was handed a 15 year prison sentence, with the final 18 months suspended.
