A former Waterford county council worker has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the sexual abuse and rape of two sisters and a third woman over the course of 12 years.
66 year old Bartholomew Prendergast froom Cruachan in Dungarvan was arrested in April 2016.
Stephanie Hickey and her sister, Deirdre Fahy waived their right to anonymity at a sentence hearing last July so their abuser and brother-in-law Bartholomew Prendergast can be named.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and 13 counts of indecent assault of his sister-in-law Stephanie Hickey at locations in Co Waterford and Co Tipperary on dates between 1983 and 1987.
Mr Prendergast also pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault against Ms Fahy on a date between 1979 and 1981, while she was aged between 13 and 14 years old.
He further pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault of a third woman, now 39 years old, on dates between 1988 and 1991
Ms Justice Eileen Creedon suspended the final 18 months of a ten year prison sentence on strict conditions, including that Prendergast undergo a sex offenders treatment programme and be under the supervision of The Probation Service for 18 months.
Stephanie Hickey, who was raped by her brother in law Bartholomew Prendergast when she was a young teenager, says people who give character references to accused men should be named in open court. pic.twitter.com/YXwGop3ZjL
— Stephanie Rohan (@StephGrogan3) December 3, 2018
