A man has been jailed for 12 years after repeatedly raping his sister-in-law over a four-year period of abuse. Eunan Merritt, 56, was found guilty of eight charges of rape, four charges of oral rape and two charges of sexual assault following an 11-day trial.

The Central Criminal Court heard how Merritt, of Crossroads in Donegal, Ireland, repeatedly raped Cheryl Laverty, who waived her anonymity to be named in the trial, between June 1999 and September 2003. The abuse began when Mrs Laverty was 16 years old and ended when she was 21. The 43-year-old said in a victim statement that Merritt “took her life and destroyed her future”.

As reported by Ireland Live, Judge Kerida Naidoo said Merritt had exploited Laverty’s vulnerability. He added: “The fact that the offending occurred over several years means that he is not a person of general good character.”

Detective Garda Rosarie Monagle told the court that Merritt is married to Mrs Laverty’s older sister. As a result, Mrs Laverty spent a lot of time at Merritt’s home as she felt it was her “place of safety”.

She told detectives that, on one occasion, Merritt unfastended her bra in a pub before offering her a lift home. He then pulled into a quarry and raped her.

On a second occasion, Merritt raped Mrs Laverty when she was home alone with her baby. He carried out two other rapes while the baby was in the same room at the time.

On a further occasion, Mrs Laverty tried to stop Merritt from getting into her home. However, he managed to get inside before throwing her onto the sofa and raping her.

Mrs Laverty has been admitted into a psychiatric hospital on a number of occasions since the attacks took place. She eventually explained to her children that “years of trauma and rape had made (her) a vulnerable person”.

She also said there was an “emotional distance” in her relationships “because of the damage caused to me”. The wife and mother also explained how she is fighting to stay alive because of the abuse.

Mrs Laverty continued: “I am living with the version of me that was left behind after the rape. The abuse did not just harm the girl I was – it shaped the woman I have become.”

She told Merritt that she was “easy to use, easy to silence, easy to shame”. However, she concluded: “But I am handing that shame back to you.”

Dara Foynes SC, defending, said Merritt is a “man of good character with a good work record”. He added that his client, who has three daughters, has a number of medical issues and is the sole provider for his family.