Woman raped by her landlord in Cork tells other victims of sexual crimes 'you will be believed'
The jury deliberated for nine hours and 32 minutes before reaching their 10-2 majority decision that the man was guilty of rape. File picture: Larry Cummins
A young woman who was raped by her landlord who is about twice her age spoke out on Thursday to other victims of sexual crimes: “I urge you to take back your power. Speak your truth and own it, you will be believed. Each time you speak out you are reducing the social silence that these monsters thrive in.”
To the man convicted of raping her, she had this to say: “You displayed not a single ounce of remorse or guilt for what you did. It is quite scary to think people like you exist in society. People like you who have lived all their lives to the age and they are thinking it is ok to treat a woman like you treated me.
“You have taken my right to live a normal life, my freedom. As a human and as a woman I should have the free will to be in any place, at any time, wearing whatever I wear, drunk or sober without the risk of being raped. Your chosen actions are a direct violation of a person's autonomy and free will. My ability to choose was forcefully taken away from me, by you.
“You were our landlord, so after you chose to rape me, we obviously had no home anymore, how could we stay there. I did not feel safe or comfortable [there] anymore.
"The next day was my darkest. I wanted to die. I was numb and broke. I felt like I had died inside. The experience of going to the Sexual Assault Clinic was like being a corpse in a morgue and I was there because you raped me. I was outside my body and it was as if I was watching this happen to someone else in the room.”
The man in his 60s was found guilty by a jury of raping the woman on May 28, 2022, and Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford said she would impose sentence on April 11, remanding the convicted man in custody until then. The jury deliberated for nine hours and 32 minutes before reaching their 10-2 majority decision that the man was guilty of rape.
As for the trial itself she said: "I received counselling and am currently receiving counselling.
“It was devastating and distressing to hear your account of lies about that night and hearing you plead not guilty when we both knew the truth.
"Firstly committing the crime was such a violent and degrading act, but then to drag me through the entire trial process advocating your innocence when you knew the truth of what you did to me, was a further degradation - listening to you go on so much about yourself and how you were an honourable man etc was horrific. It made it really clear to me how little care or concern you had for what you did to me.”
“Since the night I was raped, my entire world was turned upside down. My life as I knew it was over. For almost three years I have been fighting to get my life back together.
“What you did to me was an utter violation of my mind, my body and my soul. You specially created the perfect opportunity to attack me when I was at my most vulnerable. You disrespected and defiled me, using me as an object for your own warped sense of pleasure, showing no compassion for me as a human.
“The crime has shaken me to my core. It is the ultimate disrespect to someone’s life.”
Detective Garda Rachel McGrath was led through her evidence by prosecution senior counsel Conor Devally of the background to what happened on the night in May 2022.
Earlier in the evening there was conversation about background niggling issues that the accused man had with a relative of the complainant’s fiancé and he made a comment – possibly joking – that he might have to give them “two weeks notice to quit”. She felt somewhat intimidated by this and contacted her fiancé who was away that night.
Later when she was at home in her pyjamas watching television and having a drink, the defendant texted that he had opened a bottle of wine which he could bring over and he did and they shared this and chatted.
Later they went to his house to have another drink and she reluctantly agreed to drink brandy. Mr Devally said: “Her evidence was it was being topped up without invitation on a continuous basis and she became overwhelmed by drink and intoxication. The first physical contact occurred when he began to massage her shoulders… She collapsed into unconsciousness, unaware of anything until she woke.
"Momentarily, she believed [her fiancé] was on top of her. She realised it was [the accused]. He had penetrated her and was on top of her… she was overwhelmed and shocked and asked why he had done that and tried to ruin her and [fiancé’s] life.”
When questioned by gardaí and in the trial, the defendant claimed it was consensual at all times and that it began with mutual touching. The jury rejected his account and found him guilty of raping the young woman.
Thanking her husband, friends and family, the victim also said: “I would like to thank Catherine Fanning from the DPP, Conor Devally, senior counsel, and Brendan Kelly, barrister, for their fantastic work, it was simply outstanding.
"Det. Garda Rachel McGrath was by my side from start to finish. She is hands down one of the most remarkable women I have ever met. If it wasn't for her and all her hard work I wouldn't be here today. I am forever grateful to her. I would like to give my thanks to Mary Crilly [Sexual Violence Centre Cork CEO] for being by my side throughout this trial and to David [victim support at court] and his team.”
- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.
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