A Donegal farmer described by his victims as 'evil' 'very clever' and 'opportunistic' has been jailed for 12 years for sexually abusing 7 children.
43-year -old Peter Corcoran of Dunmore in Falcarragh pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 15 sample counts of indecent assault, sexual assault and rape between 1984 and 2000. These sample counts were taken from the 104 counts with which he was charged in relation to the abuse of 5 male and 2 female victims.
Corcoran was only a teenager of 15 or 16 when he began abusing girls and boys in his area, some as young as 7 or 8-years-old.
One of the women he molested as a girl gave evidence of her horror when he showed up as an unwelcome guest at her wedding ruining what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life.
The court heard from a man raped by Corcoran as a teenager who said it was hard to come forward about the abuse because the farmer was 'very highly thought of' in the community.
Another boy was molested in Dublin when the 43-year-old was on temporary release from prison for an offence of dangerous driving causing death. Of all the victims gardai believe this man has been the most damaged by the abuse.
He has made attempts on his life and feels an emptiness inside. He gave evidence to the court that he will never ever forgive Peter Corcoran.
'Not going to let you get away with it'
Another male victim confronted the farmer, years after he was abused. He told Peter Corcoran 'I'm not going to let you get away with it'. The court heard his abuser replied 'You know where I live, what are you going to do about it?'
In 2010 that same victim gave a statement to gardai and in the following months other victims came forward.
Peter Corcoran, dressed in a suit and tie, showed no emotion in the dock during sentencing. Mr. Justice Paul Carney imposed a 15 years sentence with the final 3 years suspended.
The judge took into account the gravity of the offences but also the guilty pleas and Corcoran's youth when he first began offending.
On his release from jail, the 43-year-old serial abuser is to undergo 18 months supervision and is to sign a bond agreeing to stay away from his victims forever.
