Eight facing 100 charges in huge child abuse case

Eight facing 100 charges in huge child abuse case

14 November 2012

DEFENCE lawyers have been given more time to study over 4,000 pages of evidence in one of the largest child abuse investigations ever mounted in Northern Ireland.

Eight people, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged victims, appeared at Downpatrick Court on Thursday for the opening hearing of a preliminary enquiry.

The eight are from various areas including Newcastle, Downpatrick, Ballynahinch and Belfast. Among the defendants are two women, aged 57 and 60, and six men aged between 52 and 76.

Almost 100 charges relate to incidents of abuse that allegedly took place during a seven-year period between March 1979 and May 1986 on five children.

The charges include numerous counts of rape, indecent assaults, gross indecencies, incitement to commit gross indecencies, buggery, aiding and abetting buggery and 46 counts of cruelty to children.

Two of the defendants are a brother and sister. Besides child abuse charges, the brother is charged with two counts of incest with his sister while the sister is charged with four counts of incest with two of her brothers. That woman is also charged with arson of a barn.

The case was adjourned to the Downpatrick Court sitting on December 20 to allow the defence counsel to review the large number of papers in the case.

One defence solicitor said that he had received 4,000 papers from the prosecution in relation to a preliminary enquiry for this matter.

At a preliminary enquiry a district judge must decide if there is sufficient evidence to warrant the case being referred to the Crown Court.