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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Paul Healy

'Stepdad from hell' named and shamed after abusing children from two separate marriages

A stepdad from hell has been further jailed for sexually abusing a second stepdaughter from a separate marriage.

We can reveal that evil child rapist Michael Moloney has been jailed for a further six years after admitting sexually abusing his then-stepdaughter Chloe Shinnors.

Chloe was aged between just six and eight years old at the time.

READ MORE: Convicted sex offender recently released from prison accused of attack in south Dublin

Moloney, 44, from Bruff, Co Limerick, was already serving a seven and a half year sentence for rape and eight sexual assaults on another stepdaughter – Jenni Prunty – when she was aged 10 to 17.

Now we can reveal that he got a further eight years with two suspended last week – after brave survivor Chloe, 26, waived her
anonymity so that he can be named and shamed.

“My innocence was taken from me,” Chloe told the Irish Mirror.

“I just want him named and shamed because I want everyone to know what he did and the effect it had on me.

“That’s why I’m waiving my anonymity – I want everyone in the town to know.

“I don’t mind my name being mentioned. I’m not ashamed,” she said.

Paedophile Moloney, who was jailed for the rape and abuse of his other stepdaughter Jenni in 2018, pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual abuse against Chloe in 2002 and 2004.

After abusing Chloe, Moloney went on to subsequently rape and abuse Jenni between 2009 and 2010.

The pervert, whose father John is also a convicted child abuser, attempted to apologise to Chloe in court – but she says it fell on deaf ears.

“I believe it was a last ditch attempt to try and save himself, and even if it was a genuine apology it doesn’t change anything, it doesn’t take back the childhood that I lost,” Chloe said.

Chloe bravely came forward six years ago after she learned that Jenni had done so.

She went to gardai after her mother Marie, who was estranged from her at the time, rang to ask if anything had ever happened to her.

Speaking to this paper, Marie, who was once married to Moloney and who has now repaired her relationship with Chloe, said: “When all this came out about Jenni, it put me thinking because my own daughter’s mood and her personality had changed.

“Something wasn’t adding up.

“We actually weren’t talking at the time but I picked up the phone to her and asked her what no mother should ever have to ask their daughter.”

Accompanied by Jenni’s mother Aileen Press, who was also once married to Moloney, Marie met her daughter the next day – and they then went to the gardai.

Mother of Jenni Prunty, Aileen Press, talks to the Irish Daly Star (Mick O'Neill.)

“My Mam got in contact with me. I was living in Cork at the time, and she asked me had anything ever happened and I said yeah it did. She drove up to Cork the next day with Aileen and a family friend and we went to the garda station in Cork.

“That’s when it all started, that day,” Chloe explained.

“I stayed quiet in the past because I was afraid that I wouldn’t be believed or I’d get in trouble.

“But hearing about Jenni kind of brought it all up again and it did give me a push to speak about it.” Gardai sent a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, and Moloney was subsequently charged with sexually assaulting Chloe when she was just a child, on three occasions.

Marie says she has deep regrets about ever marrying Moloney and bringing him into her daughter’s life.

“The guilt will haunt me forever that I brought that monster into her life.

“I didn’t know about this until six years ago until it came out about Jenni. A life sentence is what he really should get. It’s more than we thought he would get but it’s still never enough,” she said.

For Chloe, getting some justice before Limerick’s Circuit Court last week has brought her some closure – though the effects of what she went through will always be there.

“In the end of the day it was good to get justice. Most people don’t. It felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders,” she said.

“No matter how many years have passed it’ll still always affect me.

“I still have anxiety attacks and it’s all as a result of his actions.

“It’s not as bad now but a couple of years ago my anxiety was so bad that in my sleep I’d actually be tearing at my own skin and there’d be blood in my fingernails.

“I’ve gotten a bit better since everything came out. To finally be at the end of it — the relief, I can’t even describe it.”

Chloe says she can’t ever forgive Moloney – and she hopes that when he does get out of prison, that he remains closely monitored.

“I try to be a forgiving person but someone like him doesn’t deserve my forgiveness.

“He’s a sick, twisted, vile excuse for a human. I’m glad he is where he belongs but I know there is unfortunately going to be a day when he gets out.

“I would just hope that when he gets out that he will still have no life and is constantly watched by the guards.

“And I hope that he isn’t anywhere near children and he’s not given the chance to go anywhere to start over.”

Chloe says the toll of what she went through strained her relationship with her mother – but she says in finally coming forward, they have now become very close once again.

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