Man convicted of orally raping woman when she was a child

Declan Brennan

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 (30) was convicted after a trial earlier this year at the Central Criminal Court of three counts of raping the child when she 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 that 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.

Sexual assaults

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.

The court heard that O'Neill would get the victim to play a game called “guess the finger” where he would put a hat on her head and over her eyes and tell her he was going to put his fingers in her mouth.

O'Neill would initially put fingers into her mouth but at some point, he would place his penis into her mouth. On the last occasion in 2018, the victim was able to see through the material of the hat and saw what O'Neill was doing.

Evidence

Ms O'Sullivan told the court that the victim's evidence was that these games 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.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.