Members of the Roberts family wept when Judge Alice Doyle said: "I find for the plaintiff" at Clonmel Circuit Court yesterday.
Outside the court, there were further emotional scenes as Dave Roberts reacted to the verdict and spoke about his six-and-a-half-year effort to bring the civil case to a conclusion. He was accompanied by his wife Lil, sons Paul (35) and Francis (29), daughter Sarah (32 and a twin of Jane) and by Dan Costigan, his late daughter's boyfriend.
Mr Roberts described the verdict as a "relief for the family and a triumph for Jane, our daughter". He said she had been "maliciously and viciously attacked by this creature [ Bowden] and this is her victory". He added that "apologies don't mean anything to me" and, referring to the sexual abuse, said his 26-year-old daughter's life had been taken by "a selfish act".
He thanked his legal team for their "hard work and dedication"; forensic psychiatrist Dr Brian McCaffery for his testimony; and "extended family, neighbours and friends whose support has been truly welcome over this past time of need". He was especially grateful for the support his daughter had received before her death from "next-door neighbour Renee Fitzpatrick and parish priest Fr Pat O'Farrell".
He said the family "appreciated the sensitivity of the press coverage so far". Mr Roberts said "it is difficult to move on. The devastation you feel after a suicide is terribly hard to describe". He said the family were "all suffering in our own ways and as a group".
He said he would "encourage other families in a similar position to pursue their cases" through the courts. While this was "hard to do" and "a struggle" he believed "it's worth it for the victims and their memory". Mr Roberts said: "We feel we got justice and we have helped to make case law which hopefully will help other people in similar situations". He also said the case had "never been about money".
Jane, who had trained as a carpenter, had worked with Mr Roberts in his carpentry business, but he said since her death he "couldn't continue the business".
