An Erris man who carried out increasingly ‘depraved’ rapes and sexual assaults against two girls aged eight and nine is to be sentenced in December at the Central Criminal Court.
Kevin Owen McDonnell, (39), of Adhann Or, Bangor Erris, Ballina pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of sexual assault and 13 counts of oral rape against one girl; and 14 counts of sexual assault, 13 counts of oral rape and one count of anal rape against the second child on dates between June 1999 and September 2000.
He was convicted by a jury on all counts earlier this month. The married father of two faces up to 15 years imprisonment.
There were emotional scenes as prosecution counsel, Ms Deirdre Murphy SC detailed to Mr Justice Sheehan the ‘increasing bold’ and ‘depraved’ nature and frequency of McDonnell’s attacks on the girls which occurred ‘two to three times a week for a year’.
His victims, Kelly Geraghty (20) and Charlene Barrett (21), both also from Bangor, Erris waived their right to anonymity so their abuser could be named in the media.
Ms Geraghty said the memory of the abuse will never leave her and to this day she suffers from panic attacks and cries herself to sleep most nights.
“I am full of anger and resentment for what he did to me. Every time I think about what happened I feel sick. I cried every night for two years before I told my parents because I knew how much it would break their hearts.
“I have to get on with my life and I am so glad I found the strength to come this far. I can only hope things will get better,” she said.
Ms Barrett said that in the years after the abuse she would regularly see McDonnell around the locality and he would ‘stare and smirk’ at her.
“No matter the outcome the damage he has done to me will never leave me. I have to live with it for the rest of my life.”
The court heard Charlene’s mother ran a hairdresser’s in Bangor Erris which was located next door to the West End pub where McDonnell was a barman.
In September 1999 the girls developed a habit of watching cartoons in the lounge area of the pub after school. It was there, that McDonnell forced the girls to carry out sex acts on him.
The court also heard that throughout the 12 month period McDonnell threatened the girls to keep the abuse a secret and would regularly give them sweets and soft drinks.
Justice Sheehan said he would consider all the evidence and the victim impact reports and adjourned sentencing until next month.