A young woman who claims she was sexually abused over a period by a publican was consistent in her description of what had taken place, a psychiatric social worker told the High Court yesterday.
Ms Betty Drury, who works at St James's Hospital, Dublin, said she had more than 40 meetings with Ms Monica Reilly after she was first referred to her in May 1993 when she was 17.
She said Ms Reilly had been consistent when recounting what had taken place in the pub where she had formerly worked. She had initially blamed herself for what had happened and was repulsed by her own body, feeling ugly and dirty. Ms Drury was giving evidence on the fourth day of an action by Ms Reilly, of South Brown Street, Dublin, against Mr William Bonny, of the Bonny and Clyde pub, Newmarket, Dublin. Ms Reilly claims she was sexually assaulted over a period by Mr Bonny when she worked at the pub as a lounge girl. The claim is denied.
During yesterday's hearing, one of the jurors became ill and was taken by ambulance to hospital. The hearing is now continuing before Mr Justice Kelly and a jury of 10. Another juror was last week excused from service.
Ms Drury said Ms Reilly had severe anorexia when she first saw her on May 20th, 1993. She had had a severe weight loss before being admitted to the hospital, she was severely depressed and had little hope for the future. Drug abuse was not an issue.
She said Ms Reilly had been referred to her for counselling. The purpose of the meetings was to move her on from being unable to deal with her problems to getting on with her life.
Ms Reilly had described what had been happening prior to her going to the hospital and recalled what had been happening in the pub. Ms Drury said she had also had a lot of contact with Ms Reilly's parents during the time she was seeing the girl. The events Ms Reilly had related and the events the parents related were entirely consistent and did not conflict.
In the first six months, Ms Reilly had described herself in terms of having a very low self-image and a feeling that she was ugly and dirty. Ms Drury said there was a slow improvement in Ms Reilly over the months to September 1993, when she went on holidays. When she came back from holidays she was in a reasonably good mood but then went downhill. In September 1995 she admitted she was taking heroin.
The hearing continues today.