Judge ‘outraged’ by sex abuse awards woman €200,000

NO amount of damages could compensate a woman who was sexually abused by a man when she was 11 years old and he was 21 years her senior, a High Court judge said yesterday when awarding €200,000 damages in the case.

Mr Justice Paul Butler said he would be less than human not to feel “complete outrage” at what was perpetrated on a child and he rejected defence claims that there was “consent and love” involved.

Mother of three Ann Kelly, aged 48 of Tulach Rua, Currow, Farranfore, Co Kerry sued Stephen “Sonny” Hennessy a farmer from Shannanagh, Querrin East, Kilkee, Co Clare.