A man originally from Wexford convicted of 59 charges of sexual abuse

A man originally from Wexford has been sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison after being convicted of 59 charges of sexual abuse. William Kavanagh (67) of Millbrook Court, Waterford, was convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court of a total of 59 offences against both women. He was given consecutive sentences totalling 17 and half years. The final year of the sentence was suspended on strict conditions. He had pleaded not guilty to three counts of anal rape of his former wife and not guilty to the 56 charges relating to her younger sister, who was a teenager at the time of the offending. The charges against the younger sister ranged from sexual assault, oral rape, anal rape and vaginal rape from the time she was about seven years old to 16 years old. The offences took place between 1996 until 2006 in both Waterford and Wexford, where Kavanagh was living at the time. Kavanagh is a well-known local musician who used to busk around the Waterford and Kilkenny area. He has four previous convictions including two for assault. He does not accept the jury’s verdict and maintains his innocence, the court heard. Conor O’Doherty SC, prosecuting, told the court that while both women want Kavanagh to be named and understand that they may be identified in reporting of the case, they do not wish for their own names to be published. A number of affidavits were handed into the court, including one from a different former partner who outlined how he is a good father to their children together.Mr Cody asked the court to take into account that Kavanagh has no prior relevant convictions and spoke of how he has suffered from depression. One of the women who was raped by her former husband has spoken of her devastation to learn that he was also raping her younger teenage sister, saying she will be “forever haunted” by the fact that she let the girl down. Counsel said Kavanagh is originally from Wexford and has four children. He has worked as a musician in various venues in Ireland, Germany and Tenerife. He has denied the abuse. He said they were false complaints motivated by issues around arrangements with childcare. He also claimed that the younger woman had mental health issues.