Family accused of 103 sex abuse charges as uncle says niece is ‘tapped in the head’

By Eimear Dodd and Isabel Hayes

The uncle of a woman who alleges she was sexually abused by seven of her family members told gardaí she was “tapped in the head”, a Central Criminal Court trial has heard.

Seven men, aged between 32 and 55, are on trial in relation to a combined total of 103 charges against them, of which 98 counts pertain to the main complainant, who is deaf. They are her four younger brothers and three uncles.

They are accused of sexually abusing her at various stages over a 17-year period between 1996 and 2013 and deny any wrongdoing. One of the men is further accused of sexually abusing two of his younger sisters – also sisters of the main complainant.

None of the parties involved can be named for legal reasons.

The trial, which is now in its fifth month, is hearing transcripts of garda interviews with the accused men.

On Tuesday, Roisin Lacey, prosecuting, read memos of the garda interviews with Accused C. This man, the woman's 34-year-old brother, is accused of 22 of rape and 23 counts of anally raping the main complainant over a 12-year period between 2001 and 2013.

Accused C repeatedly denied raping his sister, telling gardaí, “It isn't true”. He further denied anally raping her saying “What the fuck, no it didn't (happen).”

He told gardaí that he lived with other relatives when he was a child. He told the court he never knew his sister and never had contact with her.

When gardaí said this didn't make sense, pointing out that his sister knew him, the man replied: “I was never reared with them.” He said he knew “f**k all” about “any of them”, referring to his parents and siblings.

He denied a garda assertion that he was “distancing” himself, telling them that his sister “would never have been talked about, like”.

“(Your) sister knows you because you came in and raped her,” the interviewing garda put to the man, the court heard. “No,” the man replied.

When gardaí put it to the man that it was “an incredible statement” for a girl to come out with, to say that so many of her family members raped her, the man replied: “I didn't see anything going on. I don't know anything.”

Earlier, memos of two garda interviews with the complainant's 55-year-old uncle were read to the jury.

This man, referred to as Accused A, is accused of a single count of raping his niece on a date between December 2009 and April 2011. He has denied the charge.

Accused A told gardaí the allegation made by his niece was “all lies”, when they interviewed him in 2021. He said he didn't know where the allegation was coming from.

He said his niece “has to be bit tapped in the head”. He also suggested gardaí should speak with his niece again, describing her as a “lot cuter than she looks”.

He told gardaí that the complainant previously told him she was abused by her stepfather (who is not on trial). The jury has heard that this man died late last year.

Accused A said his sister – the woman's aunt - was also present when the complainant told him she had been abused by her stepfather. He said he told her to contact the girl's mother and “see what she was going to do about it”.

He said his sister told him the complainant's mother reply was that the complainant “wanted it”.

Accused A said he “left it at that”, later adding it was “nothing to do with me, what could I do?”

He said he believed his niece at the time she told him. When gardaí suggested his niece spoke to him in the hope he might help her, he replied “how could I help her?”, repeating that he told his sister to speak with the complainant's mother.

He later said he did not pick up on it if this was the reason his niece told him, apologised and said he let her down.

Gardaí suggested to Accused A that he decided to rape his niece after seeing the reaction to her allegation against her stepfather. He denied this, saying it was a “load of bollocks”.

“Niece or no niece, she's a liar...I don't know what else to say,” Accused A told gardaí.

The trial continues before Justice Caroline Biggs and an extended jury panel of 13.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.

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