Pop song prompted teen to tell teacher about uncle's sexual abuse, Cork court is told

A young woman described today how her life has been reduced to sadness, fear and pain because of the sexual abuse that her uncle carried out on her from when she was aged eight.

Her younger sister who was also abused says she cannot cope with “quietness” at home as it reminds her of the abuse and she has to pace the floor and turn on music to avoid the silence.

Detective Garda Tom Delaney testified at a sentencing hearing in the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork about the nature of the abuse and how it came to light.

The injured party was at school in September 2022 when a pop song was played as part of one of the classes. 

The song reminded the teenager of years of sexual abuse that she suffered at the hands of her uncle in the family home. She became very upset and as she was being comforted by a teacher she revealed for the first time that the abuse had occurred.

The school alerted the child’s mother and ultimately the defendant was approached about the allegations and he admitted the sexual abuse and was subsequently removed from the family home.

On investigation with specialist interviewers, it was established that the abuse occurred from when she was aged from eight to 11 or 12. And it later emerged that her sister was also abused and there was one charge related to her when she was aged four.

He was aged from 21 to 26 when the abuse was carried out, and he pleaded guilty to ten charges in relation to one niece, and one count in relation to the second girl, who was only four at the time.

Prosecution senior counsel Jane Hyland said that while all eleven counts were of sexual assault, and none of rape, the defence had accepted that the full facts of the case would be outlined at today’s sentencing hearing and this included the description of rape of both children, albeit without any rape charge or admission.

The victim of the ten counts testified today: “I felt gross and disgusting and I could not figure out why he would do that to me or what he was doing to me. I thought to myself that I did not deserve what happened to me and I pushed people away because I thought I was gross and disgusting, and I was ashamed of myself and I didn't want it to happen again. I could not hug anyone in my family I felt so unhappy in myself.

“I started to eat and then I gained weight and I would eat more to manage the stress of the abuse that was perpetrated on me.

“Emotionally, I withdrew from everyone in my family and I tried to isolate myself from friends. I tried to hide in my family home and I clung more to my mum and wouldn't go to bed until very late for fear that he would come at me and come into my bedroom. 

"I was tired all the time and could barely manage my time in school. I couldn't focus in school and I had to get extra resources to help me keep up because I was falling behind.

“Psychologically, I am living in fear all the time. I am scared to be around people. Sometimes when I get flashbacks, I feel I am always looking over my shoulder. I burst into tears and I am so afraid to go anywhere. 

"Fear and memories of the abuse is holding me back from living my life. When I get on the bus or if someone sits near me I am scared and I have to move to a different seat or get off the bus altogether.

“I am afraid of people that are nice to me because trust for me has been broken. I don't like feeling this way and the abuse of me by my uncle has changed my life to sadness, fear and pain.” 

After this injured party gave her own victim impact statement, her sister had her statement read on her behalf by Det Garda Delaney.

“I was afraid of him all the time after that. I was having flashbacks and my mind and my heart hurts because of what happened to me.

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“I didn't know how to communicate or even understand what or why this happened, it just didn't feel right. I spoke to the nun in my primary school about (self-harm) but I was not able to tell her why.

“I don't make eye contact with people and I am 17 years old now and I still pull away from people and it takes me a long time to work out people before I can be more relaxed around them. 

"I am afraid to go anywhere on my own and I can't manage the quietness on my own, I have to pace around the house and I have to listen to music to block out the quietness. 

"I am afraid of the quietness because that reminds me of my uncle and that time in my bedroom and what happened to me.” 

Tom Creed, senior counsel, said the accused was full of remorse and had written a letter of apology to his two nieces. 

Mr Creed said the defendant, who is now aged 34, was admitted to a psychiatric hospital when the complaint was first made.

The defendant said in his apology that he thought of handing himself into gardaí and confessing what he had done over the years and now regretted being too cowardly to do so. 

He has not been diagnosed with any mental illness that would explain his sexual behaviour.

Ms Justice Siobhán Lankford will sentence him on November 3.

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