A woman who last week won a €1.7 million High Court award of damages against her father for sexually and physically abusing her for 10 years in her childhood, says she accepts she has no realistic prospect of obtaining the money.
Joan Hunt (43), Perrystown, Dublin, was speaking outside the High Court after Mr Justice Eamon de Valera refused to put a stay on the award of damages pending an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Counsel for Ms Hunt’s father, John McNamara (86), of Killaderry, Daingean, Co Offaly, had confirmed to the judge there would be an appeal against the amount of the award and had sought a stay, which the judge refused.
The only substantial assets understood to be owned by McNamara is his home, on three quarters of an acre.
While Ms Hunt said afterwards that she accepted that she was not going to be able to get the €1.7 million, she said she was glad that she had taken the case and hoped that, because of the award, child molesters would be "quaking in their boots" for what they had done over the years. It was never too late to get justice, whether it was against child molesters or otherwise, she said.
The award of EU 1.7 million was made last week by a jury to Ms Hunt after only 45 minutes. Liability in the action was admitted and the jury had to assess damages only. No evidence was called by the defence.