A Dublin woman who has been a heroin addict and a mental hospital patient told a jury yesterday that a man now aged 78 had abused her when she was six or seven years old.
The alleged victim, now aged 21, said the abuse happened every weekend, and sometimes during the week. She said he gave her gifts of clothes, jewellery and bicycles.
She said the abuse stopped when she was 15 and the accused was into his 70s. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of indecent assault, allegedly committed between April 1st, 1990 and January 17th, 1994.
The woman said he was a friend of her family. He would drive her to the Phoenix Park where he sexually abused her.
She agreed with Mr Erwin Mill-Arden SC, defending, that she was on a methadone programme and used to take heroin because she was depressed and had twice been an inpatient in a mental hospital. She denied that her was making allegations as a result of "nasty dreams" she had while on heroin.
The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan.