A sex abuse victim yesterday told a court how she used to cry herself to sleep as a child after being indecently assaulted by an older man.
"As a child I used to have sleepless nights and nightmares. I used to cry myself to sleep," the woman told Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
The woman, who is now in her 20s, was giving evidence in the case of Joseph O'Neill (45), a fisherman, from Myross, Union Hall, Co Cork.
She described how she found it difficult to show any emotion after being abused by O'Neill as a child. "I freeze and feel sick when people hug me. I grew up not trusting men or women."
O'Neill has pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting the woman and three other girls between 1970 and 1985. He admitted four counts of indecently assaulting one of the women while she was a little girl.
At an earlier sitting, another of his victims told how she was afraid to fall asleep after O'Neill abused her. "I used to curl up in a ball when I went to bed", said the woman, who is now in her 30s.
"I cannot remember a time when I was not sexually assaulted by him. It was a constant threat . . . He terrorised me all through my childhood. He made every waking and sleeping hour a misery. I could do nothing to stop it."
Another of his victims, also now in her 20s, told the court: "What sickens me most is that he had the trust of adults. I knew as a child what he was like and how sick he was."
A further victim said she had difficulty trusting men as a result of the sexual abuse, which consisted of touching private parts and masturbating against the young girls, the court heard.
Judge Patrick Moran yesterday lifted a prohibition on publishing O'Neill's name at the request of his victims.
He adjourned the case until June 25th for sentence and remanded O'Neill in continuing custody.