‘Thorny issues’ in bid to set aside €4.7m award

A judge said she will have to deal with “difficult and thorny” issues over a bid to set aside a landmark €4.7m award for the sexual abuse of two girls by a man who, it is claimed, may be suffering from dementia.

In November, retired company director Joseph Carrick was ordered to pay €4m to Jacqueline O’Toole and €700,000 to her cousin, Geraldine Nolan, after two separate High Court juries found he raped them when they were children.

Mr Carrick, aged 72, Carysfort Woods, Blackrock, Co Dublin, was not represented during those trials, claiming he was unable to pay his solicitors, and he also did not represent himself.