Woman awarded €150,000 damages over sexual abuse by brother

A woman who sued alleging she was raped and sexually abused by one of her brothers over years in their family home when she was a child has been awarded €150,000 damages in the High Court.

Antoinette Mc Loughlin (46), of Lusk, Co Dublin, sued her brother Patrick Garvey (52), Silverglen Gormanstown Road, Stamullen, Co Meath, over the assaults on her on dates from 1976 to 1980. He denied the claims.

In her action, Ms McLoughlin claimed the abuse began when she was eight, and her brother was 12 or 13, and it continued for four years.

She told her father, Peter Garvey, about the abuse at the time but he did not believe her and slapped her across the face, she told the jury. This made her feel like an "outcast" in her family, the court heard.

Mr Garvey denied all the claims and was supported throughout the eight-day case by his wife, four sisters and his brother.

A consultant psychiatrist told the court he had diagnosed Ms McLoughlin as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of sexual abuse.