A Tipperary man who raped and sexually abused a girl for almost a decade has been sentenced to 15 years.

Gardaí interviewed Michael Smith (53) - originally from Clonmel - about the abuse in 2004, after a search uncovered a video he had made of him raping her when she was 11.

However, he was released without charge and traveled to the UK - where he committed further abuse against another teenager girl he had groomed over social media.

Smith was jailed in the UK in 2008 for this and possession of nearly 20,000 images of child pornography.

He was extradited back to Ireland on his release last year and has been in custody since.

His Irish victim, Michelle Smith (29), waived her right to anonymity at the Central Criminal Court so her abuser could be identified.

Smith previously of Maplewood Way, Tallaght, Dublin pleaded guilty to nine counts of rape, two counts of oral rape, one count of possession of child pornography and one count of assault causing harm of Ms Smith at Dublin city addresses in Rathmines, Tallaght and Cabra on dates between 1994 and 2004.

The victim wrongly believed that Smith was her father during the abuse which began when she was eight, and Smith was in a relationship with her mother.

"Restrained and dignified" victim statement

Mr Justice Carroll Moran said the aggravating factors in the case are as bad as he has ever encountered, and noted that the Probation Service believe he continues to represent a high risk to the community.

Mr Justice Moran imposed a 15 year sentence but suspended the final three years in light of Smith's early guilty plea when he was brought back to Ireland last year.

Mr Justice Moran praised the Ms Smith for the "restrained and dignified" nature of her victim impact report, in which she wrote that Smith raised her to be what he wanted her to be and that she continues to suffer the effects.

"The horror of what that young girl had to bear consistently and over such a long period of time does not bear contemplating," he added.

The judge also ordered that Smith have no contact with the victim or children on his release, and that he not stay in the same house as a child.

The Probation Service had requested that he be forbidden from using a camera or camera phone on his release - and that he also be barred from using the internet.

However Smith's defence counsel suggested that these conditions would be unconstitutional and would result in Smith being 'a social exile' on his release.

The judge said this was a well made point and instead ordered Smith to comply generally with the directions of the Probation Service on his release.

Managing editor with CCC Nuacht, Conor Gallagher, was in court today and spoke to Newstalk Lunchtime.