Woman felt sorry for equestrian coach, aged 62, who raped her, aged 14, until he denied it in court

During his evidence the  sports coach described the young woman’s evidence as ‘fantasies’ and ‘insane’

William Connolly will be sentenced on February 13 at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. File picture: Larry Cummins

WARNING: Some readers may find the following report upsetting

A 14-year-old girl who was raped by her 62-year-old equestrian sports coach who promised to help her as long as she kept him happy, described how she felt sorry for him and felt guilty with the secret for six years until the moment he got into the witness box at his trial and “I had to listen to him deny everything that we both know had happened”.

She found this devastating, the now 21-year-old said at the sentencing hearing for the now 69-year-old William Connolly of Greenlands, Rathcoursey, Midleton, County Cork. 

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford said after a recap of the evidence from Sergeant Kieran Crowley, and the victim impact statement that she would adjourn sentencing until February 13 at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork. William Connolly was remanded in custody until then.

During his evidence he described the young woman’s evidence variously as "fantasies" and "insane". But a jury of six men and five women — one woman was discharged from the jury during the trial — reached unanimous guilty verdicts on December 17, 2025, on three counts of rape, two of oral rape, one sexual assault and one count of exploitation of a child for the purpose of sexual activity.

Victim impact statement

The injured party said in her victim impact statement: “When I was 14 years old William Connolly was my coach. He groomed me and sexually assaulted me for a long time. I never saw it like that. I accepted that it was just the situation I was in.

“I did not tell the guards myself what had happened to me. My friend … did after I eventually told her the truth about what had happened between me and Bill. I am very grateful to have had such a good friend who chose not to listen to me about keeping a secret. 

"I honestly don't know if I would have ever come forward if this hadn't happened. I genuinely believed that Bill was a good man, and he didn't deserve what would happen to him if the news ever came out. 

I believed there was no harm being done if the only harm being done was to me. I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt that I had told his secret.

“Up until I saw him again on the first day of the trial, I felt sorry for him. I felt sorry that I was putting him through this. Putting his family through this. 

"But when he went up onto the stand and I had to listen to him deny everything that we both know had happened, it was devastating for me. To hear that he accused me of coming onto him and that all I had said was fantasies and lies made me realise that after all this time I didn't feel bad anymore.

“I felt proud to be there standing up for myself and I realised how manipulated I was, and I no longer saw him as that kind man that helped me with the pony. 

"I saw him as a rapist and a man who abused me because he knew he had power over me, and he knew that I wouldn't say anything because I lived to go up to the riding school and I loved that pony and he never failed to mention how quick that would go away if I had told our secret. 

“I waited nearly six years for this trial. 

For six years I was scared that I would bump into him at the shop or see him passing by. I would get knots in my stomach when the guards rang, not knowing what they were going to say. 

"I would lay in bed at night and wonder at the end of all of this would anyone even believe me. Was it even worth all the hassle. I am glad to say that it was worth it.

“Each morning before trial I felt physically sick with anxiety. I couldn't sleep thinking about what was going to happen the next day in court… Attending this trial has also affected my education, I've missed all my college final exams.

“I hope Bill is held accountable so no one else has to go through what I went through. I would like to thank the Gardaí for listening to me, believing me, and treating me with care throughout this process. 

"I am also deeply grateful to my barristers and the Director of Public Prosecutions for going ahead with this case and for fighting for me when I found it so hard to fight for myself. 

"I want to thank my family and friends for their constant support.  I would like to thank my mom who supported me every day. I am also especially thankful to my aunt... Having them beside me gave me the strength to keep going when it felt impossible.” 

Case background

The case came to light when the complainant’s mother found two texts from the 62-year-old man on her 14-year-old daughter’s phone: “If you are my baby you get everything. Only one catch. I want to own that (private parts) of yours. Agree and you get everything; I want to poke, that is the deal.” 

The defendant admitted sending the texts but denied all charges which related to a period between August and December 2019. 

The young woman said she was sexually assaulted, first during the sporting activity, by the defendant touching her private parts outside her clothing, and that it developed from there to more serious sexual acts. The evidence was that he gave the 14-year-old cider and sexually assaulted and raped her.

- If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please click here for a list of support services.