A woman who claims a publican sexually assaulted her over a period of time had on one occasion become hysterical and had called out "Someone help me," her mother told the Dublin High Court yesterday.
Mrs Marie Reilly was giving evidence on the second day of the civil action taken by her daughter, Monica (22), against the publican, Mr William Bonny, of the Bonny and Clyde public house in Newmarket, Dublin.
Mr Bonny denies the claims.
It is claimed the incidents took place while Ms Reilly was working as a lounge girl between September 1992, when she was 16, and her 17th birthday in May 1993.
When the case opened on Tuesday, Ms Reilly told Mr Justice Kelly and the jury that she wanted to kill herself because of what happened.
She spent three periods in the psychiatric unit of St James Hospital and had lost 49 lb.
In court yesterday, Mrs Reilly, of South Mount Brown Street, Dublin, said she had had no problems with her daughter when she was a teenager, but then she noticed a change in her. She had become very aggressive six weeks before she wanted to kill herself.
Mrs Reilly said Monica would go straight to bed when she came home from her FAS course and would spend three or four hours washing herself. Mrs Reilly said her daughter was not coping or eating.
On the week of her birthday in May 1993, she came in, was very quiet and went upstairs.
Mrs Reilly said she heard her saying "Someone help me." Monica was hysterical and seemed to be taking a fit.
Mrs Reilly said she and her husband stayed up all night in case Monica would do something to herself. The next morning, Monica went to a doctor.
When they visited their daughter in hospital, they asked what had happened. Monica said she wanted a hospital sister to sit in with them.
Mrs Reilly said Monica had then said she was being abused by Mr Bonny.
On one occasion, she had seen her daughter slash herself and cut herself from her neck down. She was covered in blood.
Mrs Reilly said Monica had been taking drugs while she was hospital the second time, but she was not taking drugs now.
Earlier, under cross-examination by Mr Martin Giblin SC, for Mr Bonny, Ms Reilly said Mr Bonny "had power" over her.
She said that before the alleged incidents, she had had no sex with boys. Mr Giblin asked what she meant by "sexual relations".
Ms Reilly said he did not have full sex, "but Bonny had power over me", she said. He was her boss, the person who could sack her and could say anything. She knew she could walk out but did not.
She said one reason why she did not leave was because she needed the money. She was only getting £30 and needed it to pay for a holiday.
She admitted that she had had an accident in the pub in January 1993 which required stitches to her leg and that she had received about £10,000 in settlement of an action against an insurance company.
Ms O'Reilly told Mr Giblin that she had had a drug problem and had taken heroin. When she had been in hospital a fellow had brought in heroin and given her some, she said. She had come off the drug with the help of her family.
Asked if she had had a pregnancy test when she was in hospital, Ms Reilly said she had one the first time she went into hospital.
Mr Giblin said that in a statement Ms Reilly had said Mr Bonny had asked if she was afraid she would get pregnant and he had said he would wear protection.
Mr Giblin said the evidence would be that Mr Bonny had had a vasectomy in 1974.
Ms Reilly said she did not know what a vasectomy was. Mr Giblin said it was male sterilisation. Ms Reilly said Mr Bonny did not say anything to her about being sterilised.
She said the last assault happened on May 4th, 1993, when Mr Bonny had called her into the pub kitchen.
She said she could not forget something like that, a 55-year-old man "doing that" to a girl of 16.
Ms Emer Sheils, a solicitor, said she had acted for Ms Reilly in her personal injuries claim. That case was settled in June 1994.
Answering Mr Peter Finlay SC, also for the defence, Ms Sheils said the personal injury case was settled for £10,800 and costs. The total sum was about £14,500 and it was paid by Mr Bonny's insurers.
The hearing continues today.