Deaf woman gives evidence of alleged sexual abuse by younger brother

A woman has told a Central Criminal Court that she was sexually abused by her younger brother on several occasions.

The woman, who is deaf, was continuing her evidence on Monday, December 15, in relation to a younger brother, to be referred to in reporting as Accused D.

Accused D (33) is accused of 22 counts of sexually abusing his older sister over 11 years on dates between 2002 and 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to 19 charges of rape and three counts of anal rape. Evidence has been heard that he is several years younger than the complainant.

The woman has already given evidence in relation to four other accused men – her three uncles and another brother - who she alleges sexually abused her.

Seven men, aged between 32 and 55, are on trial accused of a total of 98 counts of sexually abusing the complainant at various stages over a 17-year period between 1996 and 2013. They are her three uncles and four brothers

The men deny all the charges against them. None of the parties involved can be named for legal reasons.

The woman is giving her evidence via video-link and through two interpreters – an Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreter and a deaf relay – as well as an intermediary who is a linguistics expert. There are also two interpreter monitoring teams present in court to ensure the woman is being interpreted correctly.

Charts and symbols are also being used to assist the woman to communicate, with the court hearing earlier in the trial that she has challenges communicating timelines in terms of calendars and sequence.

Ms Justice Caroline Biggs explained to the jury that the trial has not sat for several days because the complainant had been admitted to hospital.

The interpreters clarified some evidence the woman had previously given in relation to Accused D, telling the jury that the word “sex” was omitted.

They said the woman's full answer was “why are you always coming to me, me, me, sex, you never listen”.

Continuing her evidence, the woman told Roisin Lacey SC, prosecuting, that her brother put his penis in her bum at a particular location.

She said she told him no. When asked how her body was feeling, she replied “painful and rape”.

The woman said she went to an aunt's house when it was finished. She said she didn't tell anyone what had happened.

The woman said she was 17 when this incident happened.

She also outlined another occasion when she said this brother put his penis in her bum. She said she didn't want it to happen and that she told no one about it.

She said it was always on a Saturday. “He’d come over. He was too young. What are you doing? You are only 13.”

She continued: “Risky, you are 13, you are very young.”

The woman said she was 17 when her brother first put his penis in her bum at this location and that she was 21 when it happened for the last time.

She then gave evidence that her brother put his penis in her bum at another place on two occasions when she was aged between 17 and 21.

Describing one of these incidents, she said she was annoyed, that her brother “wanted sex” and that she said no. She said there was a “text saying where’s the condom, he said I don’t have”.

The interpreters told the court the woman was also using a sign for frustration.

She said “thank God” her brother got a girlfriend. “There was no more. Thank God, it was finished.”

The trial, which is set down for four months, continues before an extended jury panel of 15.

Accused A – the woman's 55-year-old uncle - is accused of a single count of raping her on a date between December 2009 and April 2011.

Accused B (48) – another uncle - is accused of eight counts comprising rape, oral rape and anal rape of the complainant on dates between December 2008 and December 2010. He has denied the charges.

Four of her younger brothers are also accused of sexually abusing her over varying periods of time.

Accused C (34) is accused of 45 counts – 22 of rape and 23 counts of anally raping her over a 12- year period between 2001 and 2013.

Accused D (33) is accused of 22 counts of sexually abusing his sister over an 11-year period on dates between 2002 and 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to 19 charges of rape and three counts of anal rape.

Accused E (32) is accused of 16 counts of sexual abuse against his sister over an eight-year period between 2003 and 2011. He has denied nine counts of anal rape and seven counts of raping her.

The fourth brother, Accused F (also 32), has denied five counts – three counts of anal rape and two counts of raping his sister on dates between 2007 and 2010.

Another uncle, Accused G (45), has denied a single count of raping her on a date between 1996 and 1997.

Accused C is further charged with the sexual abuse of two of his younger sisters. He is charged with one count of sexual assault in relation to one sister, Complainant 2, on a date between 2005 and 2006 when she was a child. He is also charged with two counts of rape and one of anal rape of this woman on dates between 2016 and 2019.

He is also charged with one count of anally raping a third sister, Complainant 3, on dates between 2013 and 2014.

As directed by the trial judge, a specific location in relation to these allegations is not permitted in reporting.