'I refuse to remain silent anymore' - midlands woman speaks out after man found guilty of rape

A woman who was orally raped when she was a child has said she refuses to “remain silent” anymore about the abuse.

Noel O'Neill (aged 30) was convicted after a trial earlier this year at the Central Criminal Court of three counts of raping the child when she was aged between six and 12 years old by putting his penis into her mouth.

The offending started in October 2012 when O'Neill was aged 17. The last offence took place in October 2018 when he was aged 22.

O'Neill, of Castlekeely Lawn, Daingean, Co Offaly, had pleaded not guilty to the three offences, which were committed at his former family home in Edenderry, Co Offaly.

In her victim impact statement, the victim, now aged 19, told the court that she was waiving her anonymity so that O'Neill could be identified.

“I refuse to remain silent anymore,” she stated.

In her statement, read into court by prosecuting counsel Fionnuala O'Sullivan SC, the woman said that what O'Neill did took her innocence away and lived on in her mind every day.

She said his refusal to own up to what he did “broke me even further”.

“The court process traumatised me. Being forced to relive the worst moments of my life; it felt like being abused again...I felt small and vulnerable,” she said.

She said there were times when she felt that “ending my life would be easier” than going on with the trial.

She said the abuse changed who she was, and she struggles every day with its effects.

“The damage isn't visible, but it is constant. I feel empty, mentally the scars will never fade. I struggle every day, I can barely leave my bed. I am scared of relationships, I am scared of the future,” she said.

Garda Tara Corrigan told the court that the victim first disclosed the sexual assaults in 2021 to her mother, who knew O'Neill through another relationship.

Ms O'Sullivan told the court that the victim's evidence was that these "games" involving abuse took place “every second Sunday for a few years”. During the trial O'Neill gave evidence before the jury during which he denied the allegations.

Barry Ward SC, defending, asked the court to take into consideration as mitigating factors his client's young age at the time, his lack of any other criminal offending and his good history of employment.

A reference from the defendant's employers, which described him as trustworthy and well-mannered, was handed into court on his behalf. Mr Ward said there is evidence that the offences carried out by his client were an aberration.

Justice Eileen Creedon adjourned finalisation of the case to June 15 next and remanded O'Neill in continuing custody to that date.