Sex abuse victim kept secret for over 30 years

A little girl was repeatedly sexually abused by a family friend who groomed her for years and she kept the secret for more than 30 years until she could no longer bear it, a court was told as the culprit was jailed yesterday.

Her 57-year-old assailant, Seamus Buckley of Ballyshonin, Berrings, Co Cork, was jailed for one year yesterday. He pleaded guilty to 26 counts of indecently assaulting her in the early 1980s from when she was aged six to 12.

Detective Garda Maurice Leahy investigated the case following a complaint by the victim in November 2014.