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- SPORT
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Victim’s mother wishes hell for abuser
The mother of a teenager who was sexually abused for years by a Chinese restaurateur hopes that he will relive the destruction he caused the girl every day he spends in jail.
By Liam Heylin
Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy imposed a nine-year sentence on Chun Ming Chen, aged 34, of Oakfield Close, Glanmire, known locally by his nickname, Jimmy, who ran Super Woks in Glanmire. The judge suspended the last three years of the sentence at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.
Noting that the victim was aged between 14 and 17, the judge said the defendant had some kind of sexual activity, which started with touching and increased to oral sex and sexual intercourse, when the victim worked at his restaurant and takeaway.
“It is quite plain she was in a vulnerable position and the accused was a person who was very substantially older than her. As is common in cases like this, people who are vulnerable are identified and rendered victims of predators.
“The victim impact report makes grim reading. She has had very significant problems. She did not know how to stop what was happening. She was afraid to tell anyone. Rather poignantly, she looked on as school friends enjoyed life, meeting boys and so on. She was in a very isolated state,” he said.
The victim was not present but her mother said afterwards the family were happy with the sentence. “What she went through since the age of 14 and on to this coming to light has been absolutely horrendous. If you think your 14-year-old son or daughter is just being hormonal, check it out. We thought we were doing right, a part-time job, a couple of bob in her pocket.
“He was a married man in the community, he had been in our home. But he literally destroyed my daughter’s life.
“And he could not stand up and apologise. His wife apologised for him.
“She (the victim) will never get back the years. She was a brilliant student in first year in secondary. She should have gone to university. He took all that. He took her virginity. I hope he rots in there.”
She thanked Mary Crilly for the support of the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork. Ms Crilly welcomed the sentence and encouraged more victims to come forward.
The victim said through her impact statement, “During these times that he sexually assaulted me, I did not know how to stop what was happening. I felt ashamed and angry. I was continually angry with everybody and everything. I took it out on everyone close to me.
“It put my life on hold but I am glad I made a complaint. I want to live my life but my teenage years have been taken from me.”
The accused confessed to 16 counts of having sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 17. He also admitted nine counts of sexual assault. The period in question ranged from Nov 2007 to Aug 2010 when the complainant was aged between 14 and 17.