Courts / Ireland / Report
'It was a bad dream that felt real' - complainant in familial abuse trial withdrew previous complaint
Summary
The Central Criminal Court trial of seven men accused of familial sexual abuse continues before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs. The defendants, comprising three uncles and four brothers aged 32 to 55, face a total of 98 counts regarding a deaf woman, Complainant 1, alleged to have been abused between 1996 and 2013. All accused deny the charges. Accused C (34) has pleaded not guilty to 46 counts against two other sisters, including Complainant 2. During cross-examination, Complainant 2, now 26, addressed allegations that Accused C sexually assaulted her at age six and raped her at ages 16 and 19. She withdrew a previous complaint against a non-trial brother, describing it as a "bad dream that felt real." A garda testified that Complainant 2 was under the influence of medication when initially reporting an incident but later refused to provide a formal statement. Accused A (55) faces one count of rape; Accused B (48) faces eight counts of rape, oral rape, and anal rape; Accused D (33) has pleaded not guilty to 19 counts of rape and three of anal rape; Accused E (32) denies nine counts of anal rape and seven of rape; Accused F (32) denies five counts of anal rape and rape; and Accused G (45) denies one count of rape. The trial is ongoing.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'It was a bad dream that felt real' - complainant in familial abuse trial withdrew previous complaint. Charges or matters: sexually assaulting her on a date between 2005 and 2006; two counts of rape and one count of anally raping her between 2016 and 2019. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- September 2013 Other
- September 2014 Other
- December 2009 Other
- April 2011 Other
- December 2008 Other
- December 2010 Other
- 2005 and 2006 Incident
- 2016 and 2019 Incident
- 1996 until 2013 Incident
- 2001 and 2013 Incident
- 2002 and 2013 Incident
- 2003 and 2011 Incident
- 2007 and 2010 Incident
- 1996 and 1997 Incident
- 2025-10-20 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: sexually assaulting her on a date between 2005 and 2006; two counts of rape and one count of anally raping her between 2016 and 2019 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- invited to attend the garda station
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request