Jury verdict 'like black cloud being lifted', abuse survivor tells court

A man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for sexual assault. Paul O'Brien, aged 47, of Forest Park, Killygordon, County Donegal, was found guilty of six counts of sexual assault on a child between January and December 1995. The offences occurred when O'Brien was 19 and the complainant was between nine and ten years old. The jury returned its verdict following a nine-day trial in November 2023. Mr Justice David Keane imposed the sentence having regard to the gravity of the offending and the age and vulnerability of the victim at the time. The judge noted the serious psychological harm suffered by the complainant, including ongoing anxiety and hospitalisation for panic attacks. O'Brien, a retired soldier, continues to maintain his innocence. The complainant, now aged 39, waived anonymity and addressed the court on the lasting impact of the abuse on her life and family.