'He's a hero:' Tributes to teen who stopped attack on Fermoy girl

Brandon Geary on his friend: "He always tries to protect everyone else."

A man has paid tribute to his courageous friend who sustained injuries when he rushed to the assistance of a 16-year-old girl who was assaulted in broad daylight in Fermoy, Co Cork.

The incident occurred at Chapel Square in the town at 1.20pm on Monday when the girl was out walking alone. Two men approached her with one man sexually assaulting her. Two men in their late teens rushed to the assistance of the young woman having witnessed the incident and hearing her cries for help.

Brandon Geary was on his way to meet his friends in the town at lunchtime on Monday when he received a phone call alerting him to the news of the shocking attack.

“It is a traumatic experience. The fella that helped out the girl is one of my closest friends. He went over to help her because he (the assailant) was pulling her [underwear]. The man turned around and started hitting him.

He fought back and the man’s (perpetrator’s friend) turned around with a glass bottle straight to the side of the head. He didn’t even know he was bleeding. 

"He was going to walk away and the lads said ‘Oh my god you are pumping bleeding. They called an ambulance and he came home with two stitches to the side of his head.” 

Brandon, who is in his late teens, said he wouldn’t wish what happened to the young girl on his “worst enemy.” 

“Lunchtime. School out. This girl is only 16. My friend always tries to protect everyone else. He is a hero in everyone's eyes. It is very bad. You wouldn’t think it would happen here. He (my friend) didn’t get the worst he could have got. Thank god nothing happened to his brain.” 

Brandon said that young people in the area are fearful since the attack.

“Young girls are scared. Definitely. There was the main attacker and another person beside him. He had (the girl’s underwear) grabbed. It is awful. I was on the way to meet my friend and his sister rang me and said he had been attacked. The man hit him with a bottle and bottle shattered in his head.

"He had to go up to Cork University Hospital for stitches.” 

One of the young men who helped intervene in the attack only spoke to confirm his involvement. However, he didn’t want to speak about the incident which had left him visibly shaken.

A man in his 30s remains in garda custody in Fermoy in connection with the incident. The teenage girl was taken to hospital in Cork for treatment. She was not physically injured but was left traumatised by the lunchtime attack which took place when she was walking through the square on her own.

Cllr Noel McCarthy said: "The girl is the most important person here and hopefully she will make a full recovery.” 

Local businessman and Fine Gael Councillor Noel McCarthy said that the thoughts of the people of Fermoy were with the young girl and the two youths who rushed to her aid.

“It is a shocking incident. My thoughts are with the victim and her family. Hopefully, she will make a full recovery. The two young lads (who went to her aid) are heroes. Fermoy is a great town to live in. A great town to raise children in. Days like yesterday upset us in the locality. 

"I have a shop and yesterday everyone was speaking about how upset they were about the incident. We have great faith in the gardaí here. They have really gone to great lengths with CCTV and interviewing people. I have faith they will solve this crime and stamp it out.

"Happening in daylight. This can’t happen and it must be stamped out. Is it education or what? We want to say we won’t tolerate this. I don’t think people should be put off going out either.

"This is the topic of the town and we are all upset. The girl is the most important person here and hopefully, she will make a full recovery.” 

Meanwhile, locals in Fermoy town centre expressed their shock about the incident. One elderly woman, who declined to be named, said that she was related to one of the young men who intervened to help the girl.

“(My relative) was split with a bottle trying to save her. In the daylight. It is desperate to be attacked like that in daylight. You would be afraid now to go out or to go down any laneways. You don’t know who is going to come out on top of you. 

"As for going out at night forget about it. I would often do the round of the block at night but I would be afraid of my life now to go out. Even people coming to the door now you are afraid to open the door. I never open the door if I am on my own.” 

Martin Dennehy said that the courts need to come down forcefully on men who attack women as they are going about about their day-to-day business.

Martin Dennehy who lives across the road from the square said that the courts need to come down forcefully on men who attack women as they are going about their day-to-day business.

“When you see that going on it is scary. These incidents should be come down on very strong. Put out a message. In fairness to the guards, they are there if you need them. These people should be hammered. I feel strongly about that because I think there is too much the slap of a wrist. 

"And it is going on everywhere. It is not acceptable. They (the courts) are too lenient on these individuals..” 

Helen Sheehan who was shopping in Fermoy town centre said that the whole country is in fear since the killing of Ashling Murphy in Tullamore, Co. Offaly, last month.

“It is probably copycat type of stuff. You should be able to walk around when you want. It is frightening for young girls going out. There is a scare around Fermoy. There is a scare everywhere since Ashling Murphy. It is hitting everyone.” 

The Head of the Cork Sexual Violence Centre, Mary Crilly, says unfortunately sexual assault has always occurred. However, it is more visible in the news in recent times.

“I am in Fermoy tomorrow morning in the school so I think it will be a live discussion there. I think it is appalling. I don’t think it's that these attacks are more common, I think it is just that we are reporting it. We are more aware of it. 

"People may have heard it on the radio before and it may have gone over their head. Now we are very aware of it. 

The shock about Ashling Murphy may have subsided but the violence continues. There is a certain calibre of the men in the country who are very violent.

"I still like to remind young girls that although the streets have became unsafe they are safer than they think. The majority of people are still raped and assaulted by somebody they know. I know this is very fearful as young people are afraid to go out. 

"It shows the arrogance of these perpetrators that they will assault somebody who is very vulnerable and who is probably half their size. And they will do it in public."

Ms Crilly added that the conversation about violence, rape and sexual assault needs to continue. 

Helen Sheehan said "There is a scare everywhere since Ashling Murphy."

She said: "I believe they can be stopped. A lot of them are stopped because people intervene. Even having conversations can help as it will make guys realise they can’t get away with these things.“ 

It is understood the girl and her attacker were not known to each other and the assault was random in nature. A forensic examination was carried out at the scene and gardaí are continuing their investigation into the incident. 

They have harvested CCTV in the area and have spoken to people who witnessed the assault. Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact gardaí in Fermoy on 025 82100 or any Garda Station.

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