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Westmeath Butcher Jailed For 13 Years For Sexual Abuse Of Partner’s Sisters

Monday, 16 February 2026 16:07

40 year old Christopher Fitzsimons was convicted last July.

A Westmeath butcher, described as a "wolf in sheep's clothing", has been jailed for 13 years for sexually abusing his partner's younger sisters.

40 year old Christopher Fitzsimons of Thornbury Drive, Athlone, in Westmeath was convicted last July of all 22 counts against him.

Mr Fitzsimons was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury last July of all 22 counts against him relating to the three complainants, including 18 counts of raping one of the girls over an 13 -month period.

He has no previous convictions. All three sisters waived their anonymity in order for Fitzsimons to be named.

Fitzsimons was in a relationship with the complainants' older sister, with whom he had a number of children. 

The abuse of the three girls occurred in various locations in Westmeath on dates between 2001 and 2011. They were aged between 12 and 16 at the time of the abuse.

Sentencing Fitzsimons today Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said Fitzsimons' relationship with the complainants' older sister "allowed him to exploit these three young girls". 

She said it was "an egregious abuse of trust".

The abuse started after the death of the girls' father in 1999.

In her victim impact statement, one of the sisters, Claire Berry, said Fitzsimons was "calculated" and "a wolf in sheep’s clothing".

Her sisters Tara and Chloe Berry said they're still picking up the pieces after what was done to them, and have carried the hurt for 20 years.

Ms Justice Eileen Creedon set a headline sentence of 14 years and reduced this to 13 years, noting there was little to be said in mitigation for Fitzsimons except his young age, lack of previous convictions and good work history as a butcher.

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