Victim of rape at hands of older cousin tells court of seeking justice and reclaiming his voice

A man has been sentenced to four years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape of his younger cousin in County Mayo in 2006. Noel Gallagher (33) of Dadreen, Louisburg, was convicted following trial in April after pleading not guilty to the anal rape of the victim, then aged nine, which occurred in a shed on the family farm between October 2006 and March 2007. The victim, now 27, waived his right to anonymity and read an impact statement to the court, describing how the offence blighted his teenage years and caused profound psychological harm, including suicidal ideation. He stated that seeking justice had allowed him to reclaim his voice. Mr Justice David Keane noted the victim's strength and resilience throughout the legal process. The judge set a headline sentence of eight years, reduced to five and then four years, taking into account the defendant's age at the time of the offence, his lack of prior convictions, and the time elapsed. A two-year post-release supervision order was imposed.