Midlands man jailed for sexual abuse of daughter

A Midlands man who sexually abused his young daughter over a four year period has been handed a ten-year prison sentence.

Patrick Shiels (66) sexually abused and orally raped his daughter Marlene Prakash-Shiels when she was aged between four and eight, during visits to his home between September 2000 and December 2004.

The Central Criminal Court had previously heard that Ms Prakash-Shiels wished to waive her right to anonymity.

Shiels was found guilty of oral rape and four counts of sexual assault on various occasions between September 2000 and December 2004 at his then address in Togher, Portlaoise, Co Laois following a retrial earlier this year.

He was also found guilty of two charges of child cruelty by forcing the victim to drink alcohol and to watch pornography.

Shiels was convicted and jailed following a previous trial, but released from custody in July 2021 after the Court of Appeal ordered a re-trial.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt finalised the case today (Friday) and said that Shiels had broken the trust placed in him.

He said Ms Prakash-Sheils had tragically lost her mother in violent circumstances at a young age and this was followed by sexual abuse at the hands of her father.

Mr Justice Hunt said this case fell within the more serious category and imposed a headline sentence of 12 years on the count of oral rape.

He said there was limited scope for mitigation as the defendant does not accept the verdict of two juries and has expressed no remorse.

However, the absence of previous convictions, Shiels' age and the contents of medical reports could be considered “minor mitigating factors”, Mr Justice Hunt said.

He reduced the sentence for the oral rape count to ten years and imposed four year sentences on each of the remaining counts to run concurrently with credit for time served in custody.

Mr Justice Hunt said Ms  Prakash-Shiels was an “impressive and resilient” person whose “inner strength would help her and her new family to prosper in future”.

Describing her victim impact statement as “eloquent and extensive”, Mr Justice Hunt wished Ms Prakash-Sheils, who was not in court, and her family well for the future.