DESPICABLE MAN WHO SEXUALLY ABUSED FIVE OF HIS CHILDREN JAILED FOR 20 YEARS
A 70-year-old man from Rathedmond Estate in Sligo has received a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted of sexually abusing five of his children, ranging in age from three to 17 years old.The Central Criminal Court presented disturbing evidence of ongoing abuse and neglect, detailing instances where the children were left hungry, confined in a room, and even forced to drink urine.
Noel Farrell faced an initial indictment of 109 charges but ultimately admitted guilt to three counts of rape involving three of his daughters, along with 19 counts of indecent and sexual assault across all five victims.
These offences occurred between 1979 and 1997 at different locations within County Sligo.
The victims chose not to remain anonymous, allowing their father’s name to be publicized.
Testimony revealed that Farrell and his deceased wife struggled significantly with alcohol addiction.
The children suffered neglect, with reports of being starved and locked away for days at a time, sometimes being made to drink urine.
Following the breakdown of his marriage, Farrell traveled to England.
During this period, some children were placed in care.
In delivering the sentence, Judge Tony Hunt described the case as particularly memorable due to its extreme cruelty and depravity.
He praised the siblings for showing "an extraordinary degree of fortitude" in the way they had faced up to the difficulties.
He said the description of their childhood "beggars belief" adding: "I want to say how impressive you are in facing what you had to face, you are a credit to yourselves and to each other.
You can hold your head high." In a statement outside court, Jessica Farrell said that after many years "of silence, pain and unanswered questions we finally received justice for the sexual abuse we endured as children at the hands of our father.
"No words can truly express the depth of pain, fear and confusion that shaped our childhoods.
What happened stole parts of us we can never get back.
"For years we lived with silence forced upon us, separated from our home, placed into care and left feeling like we were the ones being punished for his actions.
"We grew up believing our voices didn't matter, that the truth would stay buried forever and that our childhood would remain defined by what he took from us.
"But we reached a point in our lives where silence hurt more than speaking out," she said.
At a sentence hearing last September, the five siblings spoke of the effects of the abuse, including being taken into care and the effect on their mental health and relationships.
The judge said any sentence could not change the past but at least for the future, the process had delivered official vindication for the siblings.
A GP report was provided to the court.
Farrell has a significant history of alcoholism and has been sober for several years.
Defence counsel said her instructions are to apologise to each victim and that Farrell accepts and acknowledges the "profound consequences" of his actions.
She noted that her client's last offence was in 1997 and that he has been in custody since early November.
Farrell will also be registered as a sex offender.
