The trial of five family members, including a husband (66) and his three sons aged 38, 40, and 41, and the wife of the first accused who is 63 years old, is currently underway in the Central Criminal Court on charges of rape and sexual assaults against their extended family. The charges relate to over 100 counts of rape and sexual assaults against four then-children, who are now in their 30s, occurring between September 1999 and February 2004. The trial has heard evidence from the first complainant, a now-30-year-old woman, who testified that she was raped by her grandfather on two separate occasions when she was around nine years old. The trial, which is expected to last three weeks, continues before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring. If you’ve been affected by the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888 or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.
