Woman abused by neighbour from age six gets €350k damages

A woman who as a child was repeatedly sexually abused by a neighbour over a six-year period has been awarded €350,000 by the High Court.

Noelle Doyle, aged 41, was only six years of age when the abuse by her neighbour Sean Connolly, who was a father of one of her friends began.

Mr Justice Kevin Cross said Ms Doyle, who is now the mother of twins, is “is an admirable person of courage who has done society a great service to bring this disgraceful matter to the attention of parents, gardaí and courts”.

Connolly, now in his 70s, of Casteldermot, Athy, Co Kildare, was sentenced in 2011 to three years imprisonment with the last year suspended when he pleaded guilty at Naas Circuit Court to six sample charges of sexual assault on Ms Doyle.

He was not in the High Court for yesterday’s case and the court heard he is suffering from cancer.

Connolly lived four doors down from Ms Doyle’s home in the village of Casteldermot, Co Kildare.

Mr Justice Cross said Ms Doyle was entitled to damages for the assaults and the consequences including the heightened trauma at the time of the criminal case and the civil motion where Connolly sought to have the damages case dismissed.

He said the young girl was abused regularly by Connolly in the garden, home, bedroom and shed at the Connolly home. The judge said “a particular sinister aspect” was that while playing hide and seek she was subjected to abuse by Connolly as if part of the game.

He said when the girl went to her parents at 12 years of age, they “very sensibly believed her”.

Mr Justice Cross said he accepted Ms Doyle has a significant long standing post traumatic stress disorder as a result of what happened. He ruled she was not entitled to aggravated damages over the move by Connolly to have the case dismissed due to undue delay.

In evidence, Ms Doyle told the court when she played hide and seek with her friends, Connolly would find her first and abuse her.

She said on one occasion he abused her on his daughter’s bed while his wife and children were in the house.

Ms Doyle said before her confirmation when she was 12 years old, she realised that what Connolly was doing was wrong and she told her mother.

A meeting was arranged in a doctor’s house between Ms Doyle’s parents and Connolly and his wife and the local priest.

At that meeting, the court heard Connolly admitted his wrongdoing but it wasn’t until 2009 Ms Doyle felt she had the strength to go to gardaí to make a complaint.

“He devastated my life. I could never reach my full potential after that. It was not until 2009 I felt I had the strength to go to the gardaí. Through counselling and family support, I could do it. I needed to be heard.”

She said when Connolly expressed deep regret at his criminal case, it was too late.

Jeremy Maher, counsel, pointed out the admission of liability in the civil case only came late in the day and this caused Ms Doyle significant anguish and stress.

Speaking outside the court, Ms Doyle said she hoped her case would encourage other women and men to come forward.

“I’ve been heard, I’ve been vindicated. It’s a hard, long struggle to stand up for the little children we once were.”