KC Neil Connor said it “must be a slow news day” that the media would be interested in a historic sex abuse case where the victim was a five-year-old
A defence barrister in Northern Ireland sparked outrage after saying “it must be a slow news day” for the media to be interested in a historic sexual abuse case involving a five-year-old victim.
KC Neil Connor made the remarks during the sentencing of convicted child abuser Philip Hall at Antrim Crown Court last week following a request to lift reporting restrictions on the case.
Sarah Potter, the victim in the case who has waived her right to anonymity, told Belfast Live that following the remarks “people gasped in the courtroom” as they “couldn’t believe he just said that”.
READ MORE: Father of three who intimidated assault witness and his family as he lay in hospital jailedREAD MORE: John Caldwell: Two arrested in connection with attempted murder police of retired Chief Inspector
She says that this remark is just a small snapshot into the actions of some barristers in the courtroom and the disparaging way that they treat victims.
Sarah claimed that in the first trial in her abuse case in 2022, which saw her step-brother Dennis Allen convicted of a campaign of sexual abuse against her and her brother, she was asked something “horrendous” by a barrister who questioned whether she had, as a five-year-old girl, gone into her brother’s room with the intention of having sex with him.
She says following this the judge demanded the courtroom be cleared and while she does not know what was said following this, she “heard the judge shouting”.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Sarah said that some defence barristers aim to instill fear and anxiety in victims in the hopes that they will back down and not follow through with a case. She said some will even resort to “dirty tricks”, highlighting how she was falsely accused of speaking to jury members outside of court during the most recent trial, which caused “unnecessary delays” while the courts investigated the “ridiculous” claims.
She said: “More needs to be done to ensure that victims, particularly those in vulnerable cases” are given the support that they need, because currently the system seems like it is designed to protect the defendant rather than the victim.
“My eyes have been opened over the past seven years as I have experienced first hand the treatment that victims receive, whether that is from horrible and dismissive remarks from barristers or the isolation that they feel as they can be restricted and cut-off from family members during the proceedings.
“I felt like everything in my life was being thrown back at me, like how dare I speak out about the abuse I had suffered.
“The justice system needs to be shaken up and victims need to be put front and centre and have their rights protected, not just those who have been accused.”
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.
#Defence #barristers #slow #news #day #remarks #spark #outrage #sex #offence #case
