A woman who was sexually assaulted by a publican told a court yesterday she wanted the case against him fully publicised in order to dispel rumours circulating in the small rural community in which they both lived.
Mrs Helen Lane, from Kilclane, Conna, Co Cork, told Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday the assault on her by Patrick O'Flynn, owner of The Big Tree public house in Aghern, outside Conna, was the most humiliating and worst experience of her life.
She claimed O'Flynn spread rumours that he had to sell his farm to pay her £33,000 compensation.
"I do not want his money, I am not interested in it and I am not taking any civil proceedings against him," she said.
Mrs Lane, whose husband John was friendly with O'Flynn prior to the attack, which occurred in her home on April 6th last, said she was not averse to money being paid by the publican to charity.
She told Judge A.G. Murphy it distressed her when O'Flynn rode his horse past where she worked and she would prefer if she never saw him again. She wanted full publication in the media of both her own name and that of her assailant, so that people would know she had nothing to hide. He was the one to blame and had admitted his guilt.
The incident happened when O'Flynn called to Mrs Lane's home with a Waterford Crystal present because they had had a new conservatory built. She was in bed when he knocked on the front door and she did not answer it.
He went around to the back door which was open and entered the house. He went to the bedroom where he sexually assaulted her while she lay in bed despite her telling him not to touch her and to leave.
The defendant's wife, Mrs Margaret O'Flynn, said her husband had become a stranger to her since the incident. "We do not function as a couple and this has had a devastating effect on all the family," she said.
Everybody in the community knew what happened and it was particularly difficult for the children who mixed socially in the locality.
She said the pub business was badly affected because none of the neighbours would come in. "I found it hard to understand why people are so judgmental, but I can understand how something like this happening in a small community can have such a deep-rooted effect."
She said she could not continue to live like they had since the assault on Mrs Lane and was relieved the court case was heard so that a healing could begin.
In the beginning after the assault her husband was advised to act normally and he exercised the horse as he usually did. However, he became very depressed and he "packed up everything" including playing golf and riding.
Medical evidence was given that O'Flynn became deeply depressed and has been receiving hospital treatment. He attempted suicide by overdosing on anti-depressant tablets recently.
The defendant apologised to Mr and Mrs Lane in court.
Judge Murphy said he would adjourn the case until tomorrow to allow £7,000 compensation to be paid which would be given to Tabor Lodge centre and to cancer treatment.
He said this was a nasty incident which occurred in a small community where people worked with each other and where there was an element of trust.
It was done by a person living in that community and not by an outsider.
"He sexually assaulted Mrs Lane when she was alone and despite her best efforts to stop him. She wants members of her community to know what happened and that she was blameless. She has not accepted and will not accept any money from the defendant but she wants him to stay away from her forever."