Mother's former partner abused me 'anytime he got the chance', woman tells court

An 18-year-old told a jury today that her mother’s former boyfriend abused her “anytime he got the chance” and forced her to watch adult films.

The complainant is the youngest of six sisters who allege they were sexually abused during their childhood by the man.

The woman told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that she was molested from the age of eight, beginning shortly after she made her communion.

The 52-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to 62 counts of sexual assault.

The woman told Cathleen Noctor BL, prosecuting, she was in third or fourth class in school when the abuse started.

“The very first time it happened I was about eight,” she said. When asked how often the abuse happened, she replied: “Anytime he got the chance.”

She told the court that the man would often put his hand down her top and had forced her and her sisters to watch pornographic movies with him.

“He used to touch my breasts. He used to squeeze them and say they were nice and juicy,” she said.

The woman said the man would also molest her every time she had a bath. “He would put his hand in the bath and touch my privates,” she said.

The complainant said the man walked around the house wearing a towel, and would often flash her or her sisters when they came into the room.

During cross examination, Giollaiosa O Lideadha SC, defending, said: “I’m suggesting to you that you have got a serious problem with your memory.”

“I don’t,” she replied. “I am being honest.”

Mr O Lideadha pointed out that there was no mention of being touched in the bath in any of her statements to gardaí.

He also put it to the woman that the phrase “nice and juicy” does not appear in any of her statements, but is included in one of her older sister’s statements.

The woman denied that she had looked at any of her sisters’ statements before giving evidence in the trial.

“I want to suggest to you that these allegations are false. You made these allegations in order to stick with the crowd,” Mr O Lideadha said.

The trial continues in front of Judge Desmond Hogan and a jury of six men and five women.