'Truly shocking': 20 years for abuser who starved children and forced them to drink urine

A 70-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the systematic sexual abuse of five of his children over two decades at various addresses in County Sligo. Noel Farrell of Rathedmond Estate, Sligo, pleaded guilty to three counts of rape and 19 counts of indecent assault and sexual assault. The abuse included rape, sexual assault, and inappropriate touching of victims aged between two and seventeen. Evidence revealed that Farrell locked children in rooms for extended periods without food and forced them to drink urine. Mr Justice Tony Hunt described the case as "truly shocking" and noted the absence of mitigating factors beyond the guilty plea. He imposed a headline sentence of 30 years, reduced to 20 years. Four of the five victims waived anonymity to allow Farrell's identification. The judge commended the complainants for their fortitude in confronting their experiences. Farrell has been in custody since his guilty plea in November.