A Belfast woman who claimed she was sexually abused by traditional Irish musician Francis McPeake when she was a teenager today told a jury she believed at the time that he was her boyfriend and that she was in love with him.
The alleged abuse occurred in 2009 and 2010, when she was 15 and McPeake was in his late 60s. According to the young woman, there was sexual activity, including intercourse, at various locations in Belfast as well as during trips to music events in the Republic.
McPeake, now 72, from Eliza Street Close in Belfast, is standing trial on 12 sexual offences. Part of the McPeake musical family who have enjoyed global success, he denies all charges.
No contraception
Giving evidence at the first day of the trial at Belfast Crown Court, the woman claimed that she had sex with McPeake on many occasions, including in his car and in a music workshop. She also claimed they were intimate at the McPeake School of Music and that they kissed in front of her friend.
The jury also heard there was no contraception used as McPeake told her he had had cancer and was “firing blanks”.
When asked by Crown prosecutor Charles MacCreanor QC how she felt about McPeake then, she replied: “I loved him, so I did. I thought it was normal what we were doing. I thought he was my boyfriend.”
The court heard that after rumours about McPeake kissing the girl made their way to her family, a confrontation took place in February, 2010.
Continued to meet
At this meeting, McPeake and the teenager denied there was anything going on. They were ordered not to see each other again, but she said that she continued to meet McPeake.
She said she ended the relationship in 2010, but bumped into McPeake in Belfast in December 2012. Telling the jury that at this stage she felt she had grown up, she said McPeake “acted as if everything was normal”.She told her family, and went to the police in December 2012. McPeake voluntary attended for interview in the spring of 2013.
McPeake’s solicitor read out a statement on behalf of his client, which said: “I have never done anything with this child.”