A man who abused his daughter for years after tricking her in what was described as an “elaborate ruse” has been jailed for seventeen years.
The court heard David Masterson, formerly of Tallaght in west Dublin, blackmailed her before raping and sexually assaulting her for over seven years.
Charlene Masterson waived her right to anonymity so her father could be named.
Just a few weeks after she turned 18, the court heard he contacted her by text from an unknown number, pretending to be someone else, and threatened to do send details of online chats she was having with boys to her father’s workplace if she didn’t agree to allow a man call over to perform a sex act on her. He insisted she wear a blindfold and headphones with the music turned fully up.
Not knowing it was her father texting her, she complied with all of the requests, and only realised it was him years later, when she found a video recording of it.
The court heard distressing details of the abuse she suffered for over seven years; not only by him, but also other men.
David Masterson was jailed for seventeen years today.
Mr Justice Michael White said today there had been a “fundamental breach of trust” between a father and his only daughter.
He said Masterson had subjected her to degradation by his actions, and has “limited insight into his crimes”.
Speaking outside the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin this morning Ms Masterson said she was moving past the ordeal her father inflicted on her.
“No sentence will ever probably be enough but I do feel that the judge understood the control and the repercussions that occurred over the seven and a half years,” she said.
“I haven’t gone off the rails. It did destroy my life at one point but I’m determined it won’t determine the rest of my life.
“I’m not going to let it cling to the rest of my life now. It’s done,” she said.
“I hope I’m an example to anyone else out there that they can get to the other side of it and I know it’s a very very dark tunnel at times but there is light at the end of it,” Ms Masterson added.
