Victim speaks out after ‘pillar of ?the community’ jailed

Victim speaks out after ‘pillar of ?the community’ jailed

31 July 2019

A FORMER Downpatrick woman, who successfully made a historic sexual offence complaint against a man, has urged others to be brave and come forward to seek justice. 

The woman’s abuser — James Gerard McEvoy, who also used to live in Downpatrick — is in Maghaberry prison serving a three-year jail sentence.

The 62 year-old abused the woman in his home 36 years ago when she was a child aged eight.

On May 10 McEvoy, from Downpatrick Street, Rathfriland, was found guilty of 15 charges of gross indecency 

and indecent assault against her and another woman from Warrenpoint, who was aged 11 at the time of her ordeal.

The Recorder has agreed to protect the woman’s identity, who will be called Jennifer, in line with the court’s reporting restrictions.

McEvoy, described by Jennifer as a “pillar of the community” who lived near her family, was sentenced at Downpatrick Crown Court on June 27. In addition to the jail term he will spend two years on probation after his release. 

He was also put on the Sex Offenders Registration for an “indefinite period” and disqualified from working with children.

Jennifer, a married mother of two young children, spoke of the guilt she felt from not telling what happened to her earlier but how happy she is at the outcome of the court case.

“I’m delighted I have done it, especially for the other victim. I just think it was so worthwhile,” she said.

“I would say that whilst it can be a long process, it was worth it just to sit in court that day and hear the sentencing — not even so much for the sentence but to hear the words of Judge Piers Grant because that meant more to me as a victim.”

Jennifer said that while she had tried to live with what happened and to put it out of her mind, a chance encounter with her abuser at Belfast International Airport in 2016 “triggered” her complaint.

She said: “When I was reclaiming my bag at the airport I saw him again and I was really quite stunned and shaken. That was the trigger for me really and I decided I had to report this. I think I might never have done so only for the fact that I saw him that day.

“It was also because I was around eight years old at the time when it happened and my eldest daughter was about to turn eight and it really hit home to me then.”

Jennifer said that during police investigations another complaint against the same man, which was made by the Warrenpoint woman’s parents 20 years ago, was uncovered.

The family thought that at the time their young daughter was not strong enough to go through a trial and the complaint was not proceeded with.

Jennifer also urged others to make historical complaints to the police while cautioning that getting justice was a long and challenging journey.

She said: “It takes a long time but it’s definitely worth it. I felt like giving up and pulling the plug on a number of occasions, but when I realised that there was another person involved that gave me a bit more drive to keep going.”

Jennifer also encouraged people, who may not have proceeded with their complaint, to find out if there has been any further complaints against their abuser in the intervening years.

“The other family wouldn’t have come forward again to speak to the police if I had not have made my complaint and, in turn, their willingness to make a complaint helped me with my case. It was real mutual support.”

The police officer leading the investigation, Detective Michael Meehan, praised both women for coming forward.

He said: “I recognise and applaud the courage it took for these two women to come forward and seek justice. Seeing a case through the criminal justice system is a daunting undertaking and they have both demonstrated tremendous courage and fortitude throughout. 

“I hope sentences like this one will encourage other victims, even those who experienced abuse some period of time ago, to report offences to police and be assured that we will treat you with the utmost  professionalism and sensitivity.”