Published Date:
21 October 2009
THESE are the two north Antrim men - one a church elder - currently on trial charged with sexually abusing a girl.
John William McConaghy (66) of Urbal Road, Dervock, who has links with Ballycastle Gospel Hall, is facing 27 counts of indecent assault on the girl between 1975 and 1983 when she was aged between ten years old and 18.
John McElheran (53), of Ballinlea Road, Stranocum - who also has associations with Ballycastle Gospel Hall - faces four charges of indecently assaulting the same girl between 1977 and 1982.
Both men denied the charges, Antrim Crown Court was told.
The court heard a woman, now in her 40s, has claimed Mr McConaghy sexually abused her to the extent she began to think such behaviour was "the norm".
The court was also told the 66-year-old elder allegedly 'offered' her to a friend.
The elder denies a total of 27 charges of indecent assault allegedly committed between June 1975 and December 1983, when the girl was aged 18.
His now 53-year-old friend, Mr McElheran, denies a total of four indecenct assault charges allegedly committed between May 1977 and May 1982.
The woman told the jury of six men and six women that over the years there was "a better than even chance of being touched on my boobs or a hand put up my skirt" by the church elder.
"It was a constant thing, it seemed to go on and on and on," she claimed, adding, "it was never gentle, it was either a push or a shove".
The woman described the man as a "welcome visitor" to her home, about three times a week, and that to him "it didn't matter" where he abused her, "if he saw a chance he would take it".
"If it happened in the shed, so be it. If it happened in the house, so be it. If it happened outside the shed, so be it," she told trial Judge David Smyth QC, before adding: "It depended how lucky he was, or unlucky I was".
Later she explained that the abuse happened so often that, "it was constant, it was just drip, drip, drip all the time, it got to be the norm".
Earlier prosecution lawyer Kate McKay claimed that on one occasion, while driving the girl in his car, Mr McConaghy 'offered' her to a friend, allegedly telling him, "would you not try her?"
On another occasion the man, after allegedly being told "now's your chance", climbed into the back seat of the car to abuse her while she tried to ward him off with a screwdriver, but he proved too strong, the court was told.
The court heard that the woman finally went to the police because she was worried her younger sister might end up in the same situation, but that when interviewed, the men denied everything.
The trial continues.
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Last Updated:
21 October 2009 10:43 AM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Ballymoney