A woman and two men have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of the rape and sexual assault of a young girl, which allegedly began when she was 3½ years old.
The woman and two men face a total of 21 counts of sexual assault and rape, which allegedly occurred on dates between 2000 and 2014, mainly at a location in Co Mayo. The three accused all have addresses in Co Mayo. They can’t be named for legal reasons.
The 51-year-old woman has pleaded not guilty to 13 counts of sexual assault, and not guilty to one count of rape. The court heard she is the complainant’s mother.
It is alleged that the woman sexually assaulted the girl on nine occasions between 2000 and 2009 at the family home in Co Mayo, on one occasion between 2012 and 2014 and on three occasions during a family holiday in Co Kerry in 2001.
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The 45-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and one of oral rape on dates between 2003 and 2012, all at the same address in Co Mayo. The court has heard he is the complainant’s maternal uncle.
The third man (52) pleaded not guilty to one count of oral rape between 2008 and 2009 at the same address in Co Mayo. The jury heard he was a friend of the woman’s then partner.
Opening the case on Tuesday, prosecuting senior counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor told jurors they are expected to approach the case “without any sympathy or prejudice”. She said the complainant, who is now in her mid 20s, was aged between 3½ and 12 years old when the majority of the alleged incidents are said to have occurred.
She told the jury it is expected that the complainant will say she was living in house in Co Mayo with her mother, her maternal uncle and other family members and that she shared a room with her mother.
Ms Lawlor said the complainant’s expected evidence is that the first incident occurred when she was 3½ when her mother allegedly sexually assaulted her.
She said the sexual offending by the woman towards her daughter continued “habitually” until the girl was 12 years old.
Ms Lawlor told the jury that the complainant is expected to say she was around six when her mother brought her to her uncle’s bedroom, where he raped her.
The complainant is expected to give evidence that she was raped by her uncle on other occasions, which continued until she was about 12 years old.
Ms Lawlor said the complainant is expected to say her mother sexually assaulted her for a final time when she was 15.
In relation to the third man, jurors were told he was a friend of the woman’s then-partner. Counsel said it is alleged that he raped the girl orally, telling her “your mother knows”.
Ms Lawlor said some time passed before the complainant disclosed these alleged incidents and when interviewed, the three accused denied the allegations.
The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury.
