Girl tells court of impact of sexual assaults at age of 8

A teenage girl from south Donegal has told a court how repeated incidents of sexual assault by a friend of her family began when she was just eight years old.

A pensioner has appeared before the court, charged with eight counts of sexual assault on the girl.

The man, who was before Letterkenny Circuit Court this week, is aged in his late 70s and cannot be named in order to protect the identity of his victim.

The offences relate to a two-year period and the court was told that each incident involved the accused kissing his victim on the lips while they were in the man’s van.

Ms Patricia McLaughlin BL, for the State, said the girl initially disclosed the incidents to a relative after she panicked when the accused man called to her family home.

Specialist Garda interviewers spoke to the girl in November 2016. The incidents, she told Gardai, related to the man kissing her on the lips, placing his tongue into her mouth. She described details of the incidents to investigators and said it had happened ‘a lot of times’.

When Gardai arrested the man, he made one admission, saying he thought he had kissed the girl on her birthday.

The girl, who is now a teenager, told the court that the incident had affected the relationships she has had with many people.

“Scenarios play in my head,” she said. “I find myself with a short temper with people. 

“It made me feel trapped and intimidated. I never realised how serious it was until I was older.”

The girl told how she didn’t tell people as she was ashamed and embarrassed. The incidents, she said, took a ‘massive toll’ on her mental health and she finds it hard to trust people.

The man took to the witness box and apologised to his victim.

“I would lie to apologise sincerely, there was no sexual intent,” he said. “It was my fault. it shouldn’t have happened, I would like her to forgive me and get on with her life. I am really sorry that it has happened.”

The court heard that the case was adjourned 17 times before a plea was entered.

Last October, the man was arraigned and pleaded guilty to eight counts of sexual assault.

Mr Colm Smyth SC, barrister for the accused, said his client ‘committed acts of misbehaviors, assaults which are highly inappropriate’.

He said prison would represent a ‘significant hardship’ for the accused, who he said felt remorse and shame. The man has no previous convictions and has not come to Garda attention since.

Mr Smyth asked the court to take into account the guilty plea and his client’s apology. Mr Smyth asked the court to be as lenient as possible.

The man was remanded on bail to appear again before Judge John Aylmer next Wednesday, May 17.