Awareness training offered to Kerry GAA after outcry over testimonials for convicted rapist
Vera O'Leary of the Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre said Kerry GAA needed to bring up their level of understanding and the impact on a victim of sexual violence. File Picture
The director of the Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre has offered “awareness” training to the GAA in Kerry on victim consciousness, and sensitivity around the treatment of victims of sexual violence.
Vera O’Leary, long time director of the organisation set up in Kerry 1992, made the offer live on Joe Duffy’s programme, amid outrage about the submission last week of glowing testimonials by a senior GAA official in Dingle, a retired Garda sergeant and a publican at the sentencing hearing of a 26-year-old man convicted of rape last year.
Conor Quaid, of Monaree, Dingle, Co Kerry, had pleaded not guilty to the rape of a young woman who was asleep at her home in June 2018. He was found guilty by majority verdict in the trial last September at the Central Criminal Court.
He received a prison sentence of eight years, with 18 months suspended last week.
In a testimonial, John Diony O’Connor, vice-chair of Dingle GAA, spoke highly of the convicted man’s good character, his commitment to the Dingle GAA, and said he had always played as a team player since under age.
The reference was among several handed into the court attesting to the good character of the man found guilty of rape.
Another testimonial was from a publican for whom Quaid had worked as head barman.
This referee described Quaid as “very honest” and “the best employee I had in 25 years of business”.
The trial, in which Quaid contested his innocence, heard Quaid was a trusted family friend, that he knew the victim’s family was away and that after a night out drinking, he had travelled to her home and raped her while she was curled up asleep. She had not been out, and she had not been drinking.
Tom Rice, prosecuting, told the trial there was “almost universal knowledge of the case” in the locality” and the victim wanted him named.
Quaid’s father is a retired garda, and the family were respected, his defence barrister Michael Bowman had told Judge Mary Rose Gearty.
Judge Gearty at the sentencing noted Quaid had shown no remorse.
In her victim impact statement, read by investigating Garda Sergeant Ernie Henderson, the victim said everyone in the locality knew about the rape.
“I know some people held me responsible and that is difficult when I am the victim,” she said.
John Diony O’Connor had provided the glowing character reference for Quaid in a personal capacity, he told newspaper this week, where it emerged the family of the victim had complained to Kerry GAA about the matter.
The GAA in Kerry responded, saying the Dingle officer’s reference was done on a personal capacity.
The testimonial by Mr O’Connor did not suggest it reflected the views of the Dingle club, county secretary Peter Twiss responded to the family of the victim.
He offered his heartfelt thoughts to the family and the victim.
Ms O’Leary has repeated her offer of training for the GAA and said there was need to bring up their level of understanding and the impact on a victim of sexual violence.
She did not accept the GAA’s stance that the letter was on a personal basis and said the organisation needed to step up to the mark and take responsibility, she told the .
“Diony O’Connor is very influential in the GAA.”
The testimonials/character references – by a publican, a retired garda and the GAA – taken together “smack of male entitlement,” Ms O’Leary said.
“There is a lack of understanding. This case was strongly contested.
"He has never shown remorse for his crime.
“Victim impact statements have to be approved by the court and accepted by all sides before they are allowed to be delivered; the same standards should be applied in the criminal justice system to character references, Ms O’Leary said.
“A victim impact statement has clear guidelines – glowing character references should also.”
"We would be willing to do training with the GAA on victim consciousness, sensitivity and awareness around the issue of sexual violence."
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