Woman who alleges familial abuse completes evidence after three and a half months in court

A woman who alleges she was sexually abused by seven of her family members has finished giving evidence after three and a half months in court.

Speaking in court on Friday, February 20, Ms Justice Caroline Biggs said she wanted to thank the woman “for three and a half months of answering questions”.

The woman started giving evidence via video link in October and gave her evidence to the prosecution counsel before being cross-examined by seven defence counsel representing each of the accused men.

Hugh Hartnett SC was the last defence barrister to cross-examine the woman and he concluded on Friday morning.

Roisin Lacey SC, prosecuting, then said she was “happy” to tell the woman that the prosecution would not be re-examining her on her evidence.

The jury was told that the trial, which started four and a half months ago, is now entering a new phase, with a further four weeks or so of evidence expected to take place before it reaches closing stages.

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. 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 judge also directed that a specific location in relation to the allegations cannot be used.

The woman was giving 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 were also two interpreter monitoring teams present in court to ensure the woman is being interpreted correctly.

Charts and symbols were used to assist the woman to communicate, with the court hearing she has challenges communicating timelines in terms of calendars and sequence.

Charges

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. He has denied the charge.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The trial continues.