Girl tells jury of sexual assaults by drunk father

An 11-year-old girl told a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court her father used to lie on her and try to penetrate her.

An 11-year-old girl told a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court her father used to lie on her and try to penetrate her.

Her father has pleaded not guilty to three charges of sexual assault and one charge of attempted unlawful carnal knowledge.

The offences are alleged to have occurred on dates from July 30th, 1993 to November 6th, 1997. The alleged victim, who was giving evidence by video link to Judge Michael White and a jury of six women and six men, said the incidents happened in her father's bed over a pub. Replying to prosecuting counsel Mr John Peart SC (with Ms Pauline Walley), she said she had a television and video recorder in her bedroom but they would break down occasionally and she would go to her father's room to use his.

She said she would sink down into his bed and fall asleep with a blanket over her. She would usually wear her night attire which might be a pyjamas or nightdress.

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The girl told Mr Peart her father would come up drunk from the pub after closing time, undress himself and then carry out the assaults. He tried to enter her "privates" but couldn't. He would also touch her "privates" and put her hand on his penis.

She alleged he also asked her to bite his penis. He would also lick her stomach. She said these things happened "more than once". Her father told her not to tell anyone. The girl said she didn't tell anyone until she went to see a social worker after she went to live with a foster family.

The hearing continues.