A woman has recounted the harrowing impact of being molested and raped by her great-uncle in Donegal and Dublin when she was a young girl.
The woman was 10 years old when her great-uncle began kissing her and molesting her. The abuse continued on for two years, between 1992-1994. In the summer of 1996, she was raped on two occasions at the age of 12.
A 66-year-old man appeared on trial last April in the Central Criminal Court and was convicted of five offences.
The man pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault between November 1992 and December 1994 and two counts of rape between June and September 1994.
The court heard how the girl was raped in Donegal and in Dublin, when she and her mother visited their family when attending a concert in the capital.
The woman said that the abuse had a permanent impact on her and she felt imprisoned throughout her life.
In a victim impact statement, she told the court that she suffers from anxiety, panic attacks and depression. She had relived the rape and abuse many times as a child, she said.
The woman said that she is now extremely protective of her own children. She cannot let anyone else bathe them and she becomes very anxious and vigilant when she takes them swimming.
The woman said she suffered from post-natal depression after the birth of her son, because she would see her great-uncle when she looked at him. She sought counselling to deal with the depression, she said.
The woman said she felt like she was free from the prison of her mind after making the complaints against her attacker.
Defence barrister, Patrick Gageby SC, said the man had no other convictions and was otherwise of good character. Mr Gageby produced a number testimonials from family and friends of the defendant.
The case was adjourned to May 19 for sentencing.