A woman who was sexually assaulted by her brother-in-law told Galway Circuit Court yesterday she had been pressurised by most of her family to drop the charges and became alienated from them when she refused.
The 41-year-old single woman broke down in the witnessbox when she said her family had been split as a result of the assault.
Her sister, who married the accused a year after the assault, had constantly phoned her asking her to withdraw her complaint.
The victim, told the court she had known the accused for the past 17 years. She had always thought him a caring person, but on the night he subjected her to a 1 1/2 hour sexual attack she said she realised he had a Jekyll and Hyde character. She told the court she was convinced she was going to be raped and killed on the night the attack took place, in her mother's house on August 15th, 1999.
The accused, a Dublin man who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, said he had a lot of drink taken on the night and could not remember anything. He said he was very sorry for what he had done to the victim.
Judge Carroll Moran remanded him in custody for two weeks to await sentencing on November 22nd.