Wife gives evidence in radio personality's child sex abuse trial

The wife of a radio personality who allegedly sexually abused four young girls said she never really had conversations with her spouse after he started working in the radio station.

She told a Central Criminal Court jury there were many people, children and adults, in her house when her husband started working in the station.

The now 66-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to a total of 33 charges alleging sexual assaults on four females on dates from May 1974 to January 1989.

He denies one charge each of attempted carnal knowledge and attempted rape of two girls, and a further 31 charges of indecent assault involving them and two other girls, all of them under 15 years of age at the time.

The woman told Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC (with Ms Isobel Kennedy BL), prosecuting, a lot of locals would come to her house once her husband's radio station got started and she would give the children bread and jam.

She said she regularly saw him coming in and out of the house but they never had a proper conversation.

She was hospitalised after a time for alcoholism and exhaustion and told Mr McCarthy she was advised by the hospital not to return to her husband.

The hearing adjourned at lunch-time today but will continue tomorrow at 11am before Mr Justice John Quirke and a jury of nine men and three women.