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Two men who were raped by an alleged IRA man when they were teenagers have told a court how their lives were damaged by the sex attacks.

They were assaulted by Seamus Marley in a house close to the Irish border in County Louth more than 20 years ago.

Marley, 45, is originally from Ardoyne in Belfast but lives in Dublin.

His two victims read out victim impact statements to the court, saying they had suffered serious alcohol problems.

One said he was a suicidal alcoholic who gave up a promising amateur boxing career because of what Marley had done.

However, he added that he has since taken back control of his life.

The other victim also said he had alcohol issues but, 27 years after the rape, he told the court: "This is my life and I'm taking it back."

They were raped on separate occasions while living in a large County Louth property that was being used as a so-called republican "safe house".

Marley was found guilty of the rapes after a trial at Dublin's Central Criminal Court last month.

During Monday's pre-sentence hearing, the judge was told that Marley's father, Larry, had been murdered by loyalists during the Troubles.

The court also heard that Marley is now a born-again Christian who has been in a loving relationship with a Spanish man for the past 16 years.

He is due to be sentenced on Thursday.