A 72-year-old man who sexually abused three of his nieces for a decade has been jailed for 18 years. 

The man, who can't be named to protect the identity of his victims, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to 16 counts of rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and indecent assault between 1985 and 1995. 

The court heard that the abuse took place at various locations in Cork and Kerry, including the man's home, his car and the home of two of his victims. 

The first and second complainants are sisters, while the third complainant is a cousin of the other victims. 

The abuse began when the girls were aged seven and eight and continued into their teenage years. 

Giving out the sentence, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said the man was a “voracious sexual predator, masquerading as a kindly uncle”. 

He said the repeated “degrading” abuse placed the man in the highest category of offending. 

One of the nieces told a previous sentence hearing said that man had “hurt and ruined so many lives” through his “sickening” and “perverted actions”.