An 87-year-old man who raped and sexually abused five of his granddaughters over a 19-year period will be sentenced next week at the Central Criminal Court.

The man “groomed” each girl in an almost identical fashion. He started off by talking to them about sex when they were around seven, before moving on to molest them “to show them what boys expected” of them.

When the girls were around 11 he started raping them and, with the exception of one victim, this would continue several times a week until their mid-teens.

The Co Donegal man, who cannot be named to protect his victims’ identities, pleaded guilty to 45 sample counts of rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault at various locations in his rural community between July 1993 and September 2009.

A detective garda stationed in the area told prosecuting counsel Patricia McLaughlin that the abuse emerged after one of the victims detailed what happened during a counselling session, causing the others to come forward.

An incident room was set up in the local garda station and the man was arrested soon after.
When the man was arrested, he admitted some of the incidents in interview but claimed the girls had often initiated the sex.

Victim impact reports were read in court on behalf of the women. They detailed how the abuse ruined their trust in their family and in men. One woman said she had tried to commit suicide several times and abused alcohol and drugs because of the abuse.

Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned final sentencing until next week and remanded the man in custody until then

Indpendent candidate Anne Sweeney has effectively withdrawn from the Donegal South West By-election calling on the public to stay at home in protest on Thursday.

Ms Sweeney made the announcement today citing the developments of the last few days for her decision.

While Ms Sweeney’s name will still appear on the ballot paper she is calling on her supporters to boycott the election:
 

Donegal South West by-election candidate Ann Sweeney has called for the by-election to be scrapped.

She said that with the increasing political uncertainty, it would be unfair to ask the people of Donegal South-West to go to the polls twice in a matter of weeks.

A General Election looks imminent with the Greens effectively pulling the plug yesterday.

Ann Sweeney says the by-election should now be postponed:
 

Meanwhile, Labour candidate Frank McBrearty Jnr has echoed Ann Sweeneys calls:
 

A fence is to be erected around Gartan Field in Letterkenny in a bid to curb anti-social behaviour in the area.

The Town Council has agreed to provide access to local residents through two locked gates, while the right of way in the area will be respected with another set of gates which will be open.

Members were told that the field is regularly covered with glass after weekend drinking parties, and local people are intimidated and disturbed.

The council also heard a call for gardai to become more proactive in tackling this issue, particularly through more stringent enforcement of the council’s on-street drinking by-laws.

The issue was raised by Cllr Gerry Mc Monagle
 

A plan to create hundreds of jobs in Ballybofey is awaiting approval from the planning office.

The developer, the Orana Group, said it plans to develop a supermarket, retail park and Leisure Centre in a 100 million euro investment.

The developer said it would create 840 jobs.

Senator Pearse Doherty says he has guarantees that at least 50% of the workforce during construction, will be from the local area:

A judge refused to award compensation to a Donegal Town head shop that was robbed of nearly €5,000 of legal highs.

But Judge Kevin Kilrane adjourned the case of two men who stole the highs that mimic the effect of hash, cocaine and ecstasy so their behaviour could be monitored over the next six months.

Judge Kilrane added at Donegal District Court that he had definite views on the shops but he would will keep them private.

However, compensation to the head-shop owner was not appropriate.

The court heart that last February 14 Conor Goodway, 23, and Matthew Tysall, 25,  threw a bottle and broke a window in the Yutopia shop in Donegal town centre and a few minutes later they returned at 4.50 a.m. and broke into it and stole between €4,000 and €5,000 of legal highs.

Gardai searched both defendants’ homes and €2,500 of legal highs were surrendered in Tysall’s house.

The court heard that Goodway, a father of three of Ratheeny West, Laghey, was now studying in Derry and had an intention to join the Army. He had broken up with his girlfriend, was “very distressed” and was on medication and was drinking alcohol.

Judge Kilrane was told Tysall, of Doonan, Donegal town, an out-of-work carpenter whose girlfriend recently had a baby, admitted that he had a “habit” of buying legal highs from the shop.

His solicitor Ian McKenna said he couldn’t offer any explanation as to what happened. He could only put it down to the fact that Tysall was addicted to the legal highs.

Judge Kilrane said both men, who pleaded guilty to theft, would “have to prove their worth” while they were being monitored during the next six months.

Letterkenny Town Council is to move to agree a site for allotments in the coming weeks, with the site near the Glencar Reservoir now the main focus of attention.

This week’s reconvened meeting of the council was told that discussions about a piece of land near West Hill offered by Bishop Philip Boyce have ended after it became clear that there were issues which could not be resolved.

Cllr Dessie Larkin proposed that the council abandon those discussions and concentrate on the Glencar site.

Another possible option which has been suggested is an area near the pastoral centre, where the probation service has been operating a programme.

Brix Lloyd, a long time campaigner for the community allotment project is welcoming the debate. He says the council is committing itself to progress, and that’s to be welcomed:

  http://www.highlandradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/brixam.mp3[/podcaast]

With serious questions hanging over whether or not Brian Cowen will lead Fianna Fail into the next election, Donegal North East TD Niall Blaney has offered a spirited defence of the Taoiseach, saying he and the Fianna Fail party have been unfairly treated by the media.

Deputy Blaney says he believes history will show that Mr Cowen has acted in the interests of the Irish people, and has not been given a fair chance.

He says the way the media is portraying the negotiations with the EU and the IMF is typical of the way the truth is being distorted………

Two Donegal businessmen are recruiting this week for a new event services company, which they say will be uniquely positioned to meet the changing demands of insurance and licencing laws.

Rapid Response is currently recruiting a panel of security and medical experts, with a view towards weorking with event organisers across the country to help in the safety planning and management of charity, sporting and corporate events.

Co-Founder John McShane says the days of hiring a few local people to stand at a gate are over, and event management today is becoming a very important issue……….

A 999 coordination centre will be officially opened in Ballyshannon this afternoon, almost fuve years after it was first announced.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan will, this afternoon, launch the Emergency Call Answering Service. The centre, which is being operated under contract by BT Ireland will employ 33 people, and is one of three centres which will process up to four million emergency calls every year.

The facility was first announced by the then communications minister Noel Dempsey in December 2005.

Graham Sutherland is CEO of BT Ireland. He says in time, the centre may be used for other purposes, which could lead to more new jobs being created, but for now, it’s operating at full capacity…….