'I still don’t know if I was raped': Waterford woman 'left in the dark' after attack 

Sabrina Halligan has waived her right to anonymity to highlight 'the reality of being in a case like this'

Sabrina Halligan is frustrated at the way her case has been handled since she was left for dead by her assailant in March. Picture: Noel Browne

A woman who was sexually assaulted after a night out in Waterford City has said she is going public because she has no garda victim liaison officer for her case.

Sabrina Halligan, 40, from Waterford was attacked from behind as she walked alone through the Poleberry area at around midnight on March 30.

She said a man appeared “out of nowhere” and grabbed her from behind, knocking her unconscious.

She woke up hours later, on the ground, half naked with a scarf over her face and a part of her body. 

Gardaí have confirmed to the Irish Examiner they have arrested a man in relation to the alleged assault and he has been released without charge while a file is being prepared for the DPP.

Ms Halligan has chosen to waive her right to anonymity to highlight “the reality of being in a case like this”.

Her main concerns include that she currently has no victim liaison officer, and she is not aware of the identity of the man who was arrested on suspicion of attacking her.

She is also frustrated over not receiving the results of a swab test taken in the sexual assault unit of University Hospital Waterford after the assault.

She told the Irish Examiner: “I had a victim liaison officer for the first week on the case. And I have not seen her since. I don’t even know if she is even still on the case.

“I also still don’t know who attacked me, and I don’t know if I was raped. I don’t know what happened on that night because I was knocked out.

"I woke up covered in mud, with half of my clothes gone. I think he tried to strangle me with a scarf as it was still wrapped around me, and I was covered in bruises. He left me to die. I’ve no doubt about that.

Only for a man found me and rang the gardaí, I don’t know what would have happened. But I am living in terror and having nightmares.

Ms Halligan said: “Not knowing what happened is distressing. I have not received any results of my swab tests and I don’t really know what is happening as I don’t have any garda working with me or keeping me informed”.

New figures released by the Waterford Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre show around 200 people engaging in face-to-face therapy there every year.

The service told the Irish Examiner that at least three new cases are reported to them each week.

Manager Anne Scully said despite the rise contacts with the centre, there are “resource issues”.  

"We could have up to three new contacts every week from people seeking face-to-face services," she said.  “There could be more sometimes. It would be a mixture of recent rape and sexual assault cases, to people opening up about past child abuse.

“Enforcement and resources are the issue, but that is the way it is around the country also”.

Ms Halligan said she is now “living in fear” of meeting her attacker again.

She continued: "I don’t know if that man is watching me or if he’ll come back for me. 

I don’t know who he is. But he knew my name, I remember he said my name before he grabbed me from behind. 

"That is all I remember.

“I am up all hours pacing. That fear that someone could be watching you, I don’t feel protected. 

“Maybe this is the way a case goes but if it is, then you can see why people don’t bother reporting it”.

Ms Halligan confirmed she has not made any complaint to Gsoc as she is still trying to process the assault and to gather information from gardaí investigating her case.

Waterford Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre manager Anne Scully says at least three new cases are reported to the centre each week. Picture: Noel Browne

In a statement to the Irish Examiner, a garda spokesperson said: “An Garda Síochána cannot comment on remarks made by third parties, including injured parties in cases that are currently subject of a criminal investigation."

It continued: “Gardaí in Waterford are investigating an alleged assault which occurred on 30th March 2023.

“This investigation has been progressed professionally by members from the Waterford Divisional Protective Services Bureau.

“A man was arrested in relation to this assault on Friday 19th May 2023 and was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda Station in the Waterford Division. He was later released without charge and a file is being prepared for the DPP."

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