Courts / Waterford / Report

Boy tells defence he forgot to tell gardai and trial about father locking him in "cage-like" box

Date
2016-04-19

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Waterford

Summary

In a Waterford case, a 12‑year‑old boy is testifying at the Central Criminal Court about alleged abuse by his parents. He claims his father raped him, sexually abused him with a hot poker, and forced him to have sex with his mother over several years from about age six. The father is accused of filming some incidents and showing them to others, holding a gun to the boy's head, and locking him in a wooden box and later a larger metal‑barred box. The boy said he had forgotten to mention the second box to Gardaí and in last week's evidence. He described escaping by retrieving a key from a desk with a stick. The parents face 82 abuse charges and have pleaded not guilty to 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one child cruelty charge. The trial continues before Mr Justice Robert Eagar and a jury.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Boy tells defence he forgot to tell gardai and trial about father locking him in "cage-like" box. Charges or matters: 16 counts each of sexual exploitation and one charge each of child cruelty. Procedural stage: trial

When:

2007 and 2011 Incident
2016-04-19 Publication

Why: By Declan Brennan and Sonya McLean A child who was allegedly raped by his father and made to have sex with his mother said he didn't previously tell gardai or the trial about his father locking him into a "cage"-like box because he forgot. CNI source report