‘Cut wrists led to sex assault claims’

A man slashing his wrists in 2011 was the trigger for him and his brother and sister making complaints to gardaí that they had been sexually assaulted by their uncle in the 1990s.

That was the allegation made in the course of the trial of a 63-year-old man who denies eight counts of sexually assault.

The man is on trial before Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin and a jury of six men and six women at Cork Circuit Criminal Court

He pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting one boy on six occasions between 1991 and 1996. He also denied sexually assaulting another boy some time between 1996 and 1998. Finally, he pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a girl between 1992 and 1993.

The complainant in respect of six of the charges, who is now 30, testified that his uncle followed him into the bathroom “on an awful lot of occasions” and fondled his penis, catching it and pressing it vigorously like it was a syringe.

On another occasion the defendant fondled his penis when the complainant was a front seat passenger in the car stopped in traffic, he told the court.

He said that he made a complaint to the gardaí when he heard that his brother had attempted suicide in 2011, because of the defendant allegedly sexually assaulting him.

James O’Mahony, SC for the defendant, said all of the allegations were denied.

He put it to the first complainant: “The reason you are making these allegations is to make some money out of your uncle.”

The witness replied: “Absolutely not. I wouldn’t take a cent off him if he offered me money right now.”

The second complainant described slitting his wrists two years ago. Mr O’Mahony said: “You did not slash your wrists. You did not end up at the doctor or at hospital. It did not happen.”

The witness said it did and said: “I have scars if you want to look at them.”

The third complainant said the defendant knelt down and put his hands under her dress and touched her vagina. She said she was five years old at the time, and wearing a black velvet dress her mother had just bought for her.

Her allegations were also denied, with Mr O’Mahony saying her evidence was contradicted by her statement to gardaí.

The trial will continue at Cork Circuit Criminal Court today.