October 2013
Twisted dad who molested and beat his daughter walks free after his daughter begs a court not to jail him
A sicko dad who sexually abused and beat his daughter from the age of five has walked free from court.
Vile Oliver Haskett, 61, dodged a prison sentence after his daughter pleaded with a judge not to imprison her abuser father.
Haskett admitted to 32 counts of sexual abuse and indecent assault against his daughter Sheila Ryan, who waived her right to anonymity.
In an extraordinary step, brave Sheila wrote to presiding judge Carroll Moran asking for him not to jail Haskett.
Handing down a four-year sentence, which he suspended, Judge Moran said: “I do take into account his daughter’s request. It is a judge who decides but a judge may take requests into consideration…and I do take (this request) into consideration.”
Judge Moran commended Ms Ryan’s “Christian charity and forgiveness”.
The court heard Haskett had began the abuse when his daughter was five, although the charges against him related to when the child was aged between 11 and 18.
He had taken her into his bed, normally on weekends, where he would touch her private parts and get her to touch his own.
The court was also told he would French kiss his daughter.
Judge Moran said Haskett had “committed a breach of trust”.
He said: “Worse than that is the fact that he was abusing his own daughter.”
Judge Moran noted these type of family sexual abuse cases “are mostly committed by stepfathers and not natural ones”.
He said the abuse “resulted in the premature sexualisation” of his daughter.
Before passing sentence the judge said: “There may be family ramifications, which I am not aware of, but I can only imagine.”
The judge said the abuse had been “profoundly traumatic” on the victim and “had effected her entire life”.
He said: “She feels she has lost her childhood and has suffered an eating disorder.”
The court heard Mr Haskett had already paid €160,000 compensation to his daughter from the sale of a house.
Ms Ryan said she had been “shocked” to learn her father had been taken into custody on remand from when he pleaded guilty nearly two weeks ago.
She wrote to judge Moran explaining that she was now satisfied her father acknowledged “he had done wrong” and that procedures were in place to protect Haskett’s grandchildren.
The court heard Haskett had since remarried after divorcing the victim’s mother.
The judge said: “He has spent 18 months in therapy at the Granada Institute, and the report provided is positive in some respects.”
In her victim impact statement, the victim said she tried to kill herself during the “darkest days” of her life from the ages of 13 to 23.
She said her father was a control freak who would correct her and abuse her for little mistakes.
After being chastised and beaten she was sexually abused by her father in her parents’ bed.
Mr Haskett also took photographs of his daughter when she was naked.
Ms Ryan, who is now married with children, said she still suffers from depression and recalled how she has also battled eating disorders and difficulties with alcohol.
The mother of two said she was “physically, emotionally and sexually abused by her father” during a dysfunctional childhood, which she said her mother facilitated.
Judge Carroll Moran said that it was a very difficult case and “particularly serious” as it involved the abuse by a father of his daughter.
He ordered Haskett be placed on Register for Sex Offenders, for a period of five years.
October 2013
Terrible secrets of abuse at Limerick family guesthouse
A MOTHER-of-two has recalled the darkest days of her life when she contemplated suicide after repeated sexual abused by her controlling father over an eight year period.
Oliver Haskett (61) formerly of Foynes, Kilcornan and Adare, but now with an address in Westbury, Corbally, Co Clare, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of indecent assault on his daughter, Sheila Ryan, between January 1988 and December 31, 1990 and to a further 20 counts of sexual assault between January 1991 and December 1995.
Limerick Circuit Court heard how he abused his daughter in empty bedrooms of their guesthouse in Adare.
Prosecuting counsel Michael Collins said matters came to light when Mr Haskett wrote a letter to his daughter apologising for the years of abuse.
In her victim impact statement, Sheila Ryan said she was suicidal and abused alcohol because she wanted to black out.
“My father told my friends and cousins not to behave like me, but I now know the shame I felt was not my fault.”
She lived in an atmosphere of correction and control by her father who was the dominant figure in the house.
The victim, who is now aged 36, waived her right to anonymity and said the abuse started when she was five. She was beaten over the mispronunciation of words and after being beaten, was brought to a bedroom where inappropriate behaviour took place.
Her father took photographs of her when she was naked. Holiday pictures were also taken between 1985 and 1986 when she was paddling in a stream and encouraged to take her clothes off to be photographed.
A “bold list” was kept by her mother and this was then given to Haskett in the evening for him to administer punishment.
On Saturdays, Sheila recalled how he would call her to his bedroom where he would get her to touch his penis and he would touch her. His penis was always erect during the abuse.
“I trusted him. I depended on my parents. I needed them but there was no escape from the element of fear”.
When she was 14 years old, her father would “French kiss” her, undress her and touch her.
In 1991, the family had a bed and breakfast in Adare and her relationship with her parents deteriorated dramatically.
When she was 16, her father undressed her and touched her breasts in an empty single room in the bed and breakfast house. A year later, he rubbed his erect penis against her naked body and vagina. He touched her breasts and kissed her.
Her father and mother divorced in 2005 and the entire proceeds from the sale of an investment property Haskett had was given to her.
Defence counsel Pat Barriscale said that this was by way of full and frank admissions for his wrong doing.
She knew she was in danger and was “very frightened”.
“When I left home, I finally got to separate myself from my family experience which was not healthy”.
She underwent counselling after she “lost her childhood”.
“I didn’t have a father to protect me from abuse and my mother facilitated it. I was on my own”.
She blamed herself for the abuse and suffered from depression, eating disorders and alcohol abuse. She had difficulties with relationships and “was ashamed and sick of having this terrible secret. They were some of my darkest days”.
“I was confused, alone and isolated but I now know the shame was not my fault”.
Judge Carroll Moran was told that the accused man was also “sexualised from a very early age”.
The Granada Institute deemed Haskett to be of a moderate risk to reoffend but added that that trajectory of risk should go downward if he maintained his treatment on a long-term basis. The Institute also alerted the HSE when he moved to Clare.
Stating that he had quite a lot to consider in relation to the case, Judge Moran adjourned the case and remanded Haskett in custody until October 24 for sentencing, ordering that his name be put on the Register for Sex Offenders with the period to be determined at the next hearing.
