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Sexual assault...but sure he's a nice lad..Mod Warning Post 275

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 222 ✭✭Trankton


    So now a sip from a Black Russian makes her pass out??

    Rohypnol???


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    Okay, we are not trying to pick apart the case itself.

    He was found guilty by a judge and a jury, and this thread is to discuss the impact on the victim, not try and find out was he guilty or not.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    I probably get slated for saying this but this case doesn't seem as black and white as some people are making it out to be.

    [URL] http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/how-birthday-hug-turned-into-an-unforgivable-act-1980576.html [/URL]



    Two of her freinds say she wasn't drunk.



    So now a sip from a Black Russian makes her pass out??

    So what if she was or she wasn't? She didn't deserve what happened either way.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 495 ✭✭The Insider


    Trankton wrote: »
    Rohypnol???

    Pretty sure she would have been tested for this in the hospital.
    Okay, we are not trying to pick apart the case itself.

    He was found guilty by a judge and a jury, and this thread is to discuss the impact on the victim, not try and find out was he guilty or not.

    Fair enough but I think in the context of this discussion whatever he was guilty or not is very important! I leave it at that.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    Pretty sure she would have been tested for this in the hospital.

    Correct, and there was no mention of it in any of the reports to my recollection, so people, please avoid accusations like this.


    Fair enough but I think in the context of this discussion whatever he was guilty or not is very important! I leave it at that.

    The case is over and he has been convicted and sentenced.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,625 ✭✭✭✭BaZmO*


    I probably get slated for saying this but this case doesn't seem as black and white as some people are making it out to be.

    [URL] http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/how-birthday-hug-turned-into-an-unforgivable-act-1980576.html [/URL]



    Two of her freinds say she wasn't drunk.



    So now a sip from a Black Russian makes her pass out??
    You can't just start picking bits and pieces from what was said and what wasn't said in the case as you don't have all the evidence at hand. That's what the courts are for. I'm not saying that that there isn't a possibility that he was wrongly accused but you have to trust the court's decision, if not, well then you might as well release everybody in prison.

    So now a sip from a Black Russian makes her pass out??
    It only says that she felt sick after taking a sip from the Black Russian, it doesn't say that the Black Russian caused it. It could've been the gazillion drinks beforehand that made her hammered but the time she felt hammered was just after the sip. But again, this is all just conjecture.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    panda100 wrote: »
    As I said yesterday, I am from near Listowel and have many relatives from the area. You cannot tar everyone with the same brush...
    Sure you can! And people do all the time.

    Ok, you seem to have missed my point. I'm not saying it's right, I'm only pointing out what actually happens. People will see Listowel in a very negative light in lue of this. To think that won't happen, is every bit as naive as the "friends who only wanted to show support".
    What I’m saying is that a gesture, such as I suggested, would send a very strong and positive message, as well as helping out people enormously.

    Surely you can appricate that?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,711 ✭✭✭Hrududu


    Two of her freinds say she wasn't drunk.
    I think she is more likely to know whether or not she was drunk.

    He said he found her there. The CCTV camera footage showed him carrying her there. He then changed his mind and said it was consensual. The cops found her unconscious with him kneeling over her.

    It sounds about as open and shut as I've ever heard.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,916 ✭✭✭✭iguana


    Hrududu wrote: »
    The cops found her unconscious with him kneeling over her.

    She was unconscious and naked from the waist down, he was kneeling over her with his penis out. He said he found her, which was disproved by CCTV, he then said actually she was willingly giving him oral sex despite the fact that she was unconscious. So it's actually even that bit more open and shut.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 495 ✭✭The Insider


    Silverfish wrote: »
    So what if she was or she wasn't? She didn't deserve what happened either way.

    Of couse she didn't deserve to be sexually assulted. From what I have read in the Indo however she made the case that she was so drunk that she passed out hence I made the point.

    Hrududu wrote: »
    The cops found her unconscious.

    No they didn't
    Garda John White told the court he and a colleague had come upon Foley and the woman in the car park at around 3.50am while on routine patrol. Gda White said Foley had been kneeling over the woman, who was naked from the waist down and semi-conscious. He said her eyes had been closed and her head had been rolling from left to right and she had been mumbling.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 262 ✭✭j1974


    dearg lady wrote: »
    I know this is a very emotive subject for both sexes, and it comes up often, but when I saw this article, I just couldn't believe it

    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2009/1217/1224260840003.html

    I didn't think this kind of thing still went on, that the victim gets judged more than the perpetrator of the crime! All I can say is fair play to her for going through with the case, knowing full well people would talk.


    ive said it before, if that was cecilia aherne on a hens night, it would be all over prime time, the news, the daily spreads for months and chances are, he would get 10-15 years. But alas, it's not, it was "some wan", so her anonymity wasn't resepcted, his admirers weren't shamed, the whole event wasn't nearly exposed enough for what it was, shameful!!!

    I remember one day driving by a news stand and seeing the front page in huge bold print "TD's wife has bag snatched whilst shopping in town".... what a bloody joke, how many people were attacked, brutalised or killed that day, bloody TD's wife. We should be annoyed more than she, after all it was most likely our money that she was going to spend that day in the hair dressers anyway.

    The media have more of a responsibilty than to limit themselves to talking down the economy, stick the real day to day misery and injustice that goes on i ireland.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    Silverfish wrote: »
    Okay, we are not trying to pick apart the case itself.

    He was found guilty by a judge and a jury, and this thread is to discuss the impact on the victim, not try and find out was he guilty or not.

    .


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    The friends said she wasn't drunk at 2am, they were found in the car park at 3.50am, plenty of time to get drunk.

    And besides, one shot can be enough to push you over the edge if you've been drinking something else all night. It's happened me on several occassions !


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Silverfish wrote: »
    Okay, we are not trying to pick apart the case itself.

    He was found guilty by a judge and a jury, and this thread is to discuss the impact on the victim, not try and find out was he guilty or not.
    Ehhhh did this pass being noticed? Lets quit the conjecture at this point please. Any issues are for appeal lawyers to work out. End of.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,897 ✭✭✭Kimia


    Who cares if she was drunk or not?

    Who cares whether she slept with half the men in Listowel?

    Who cares if she kissed this guy, or 50 guys that night?

    It does not matter. He has no right to assault her.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    I don't think it matters. I don't think we should be speculating on how drunk she was at all, had she been twisted, or sober, he was still at fault.

    If you want to debate on how many drinks she had and how that somehow would change the outcome of the trial, I think this is the wrong forum to post in, there are threads in several others where aspersions can be cast on how much she had to drink.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    Its a pointless debate;

    If she was twisted to the wind she couldn't consent to anything and its still sexual assault.

    If she was dead sober then again sexual assault.

    This debate simply muddies the issue.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13 NameMe


    iguana wrote: »
    I've sent a mail to the parish registering my disgust in Fr Sheehy. It's also given me the impetus to begin the process of officially leaving the catholic church through Count Me Out.

    Are you serious??

    you have decided to leave the Church because a priest shook hands with a convicted sex offender.

    To be honest, I think there are things that I find a hell of a lot more unacceptable than this with regard to the Catholic Church but each to their own
    (and for the record the Bishop of Kerry has disassociated himself from the local priest's support for the convicted man)

    It seems this story has a lot of elements to it, the sex offence itself, the notion of how an allegedly promiscious woman is somehow fair game is rearing its ugly head again, the opportunity for the intellectual elite and liberal Dublin-based media to pour scorn on their traditional enemies of church and rural community is here in abundance too.

    And let's face it this forum would generally carry a fairly strong anti-church, anti-traditional, anti-rural, anti-male vibe so the vitriol here is no surprise.

    However in my spite of my absolute disgust for the self-righteousness and one-eyedness of the so-called liberal elite (when oftentimes they are the most intolerant, most prone to censorship and slurring other, and fail to see the inherent contradictions in their ideology) I have to say that on this occassion the vitriol is absolutely justified.

    The rates of conviction for sex crimes in ireland are appallingly low. The woman showed unbelievable courage to basically take on a lot of powerful forces in her own community and ultimately justice was done as the thug was convicted. That some elements of the community continue to support him is sad but typical of the loyalty mindset in closely knit rural communities where people tend to stand by their man regardless of his misdemeanours (this trait can be a very positive admirable characteristic but on this occassion it is most unsavoury and quite creepy)

    My heart goes out to the woman affected. I am confident that a significant majority if Listowel locals sympathise with her plight and are appalled by how their town is being portrayed as the liberal elite get a change to stick the knife in. It is incredibly hard to upset the applecart in a small rural community as on every street corner or shop or pub there is the paranoia that someone is whispering about you, mocking you. These communities have so much going for them and a lot of what makes us Irish is best exemplified by these communities, looking out for your neighbour, being friendly and thoughtful with all those you meet, genuine concern and support for one another, warmth, hospitality. However they can also be claustrophobic and unwilling or unable to confront more modern issues. A sweep it under the carpet mentality is prevalent and things like domestic abuse and sex crimes are often ignored instead of being dealt with. The "avoid scandal or lose face in the community" mantra is domineering to such an effect that it paralyses the need to affect changes even in cases where it is absolutely necessary like the above.

    In my view, the woman has shown immense courage to challenge the underlying problems that are endemic in these small rural communities and if I was her (and if she has not already done so) I would leave the community for her own sanity if nothing else.

    This situation is far more complex than the "grab the nearest pitchfork and teach the stupid inbred culchies a lesson" brigade would have you believe.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    NameMe wrote: »
    And let's face it this forum would generally carry a fairly strong anti-church, anti-traditional, anti-rural, anti-male vibe so the vitriol here is no surprise.

    You've 13 posts and been here since this month, not sure how you'd be so sure of that.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,885 ✭✭✭Stabshauptmann


    Beruthiel wrote: »
    He was convicted. There is no 'other' side to the story.

    You give credit to many a stereotype with such an irrational statement.

    Off the top of my head I can list 50 proven high profile miscarriages of justice. Thats not to say this was a miscarriage of justice, I knew nothing about the case before today, Im just saying that the your attitude that the courts are always right, so let there be no discussion is ludicrous.

    For anyone trying to understand why 50 odd people would shake his hand:
    A) They feel they know him, they've probably known him all their lives, and they believed his version of events.

    B) Unlike you, they've heard his version of events and many of them where with him that night

    Ironically all these claims of close minded country folk sound very close minded to me...

    Once again, I do not know him or anything about this case. Im not defending him. It certainly seems to me that justice was done and he belongs in jail


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭eth0_


    If anything comes of this - and i'm not for one minute suggesting the victim was 'asking for it' or 'deserved' to be attacked - hopefully it will shock a lot of women into NOT drinking themselves into such a state that they could find themselves in such a situation, incapable of fighting off their attacker or calling for help.

    It sounds as if the victim drank herself into a stupor on the night, and the outcome could have been very different if she'd known her own limits.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭dearg lady


    NameMe wrote: »
    Are you serious??

    you have decided to leave the Church because a priest shook hands with a convicted sex offender.

    To be honest, I think there are things that I find a hell of a lot more unacceptable than this with regard to the Catholic Church but each to their own
    (and for the record the Bishop of Kerry has disassociated himself from the local priest's support for the convicted man)

    In fairness, a lot of people have been considering Count me out, and something like this will give the final shove to many.

    Fair play to the Bishop at least for not condoning the priests behaviour.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,091 ✭✭✭dearg lady


    eth0_ wrote: »
    If anything comes of this - and i'm not for one minute suggesting the victim was 'asking for it' or 'deserved' to be attacked - hopefully it will shock a lot of women into NOT drinking themselves into such a state that they could find themselves in such a situation, incapable of fighting off their attacker or calling for help.

    It sounds as if the victim drank herself into a stupor on the night, and the outcome could have been very different if she'd known her own limits.

    hang on a second, I'm all for women protecting themselves, but where does it say she was drunk, you don't know that?
    There are many reasons why an individual may find it difficult or impossible to fight off an attacker.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,897 ✭✭✭Kimia


    dearg lady wrote: »
    hang on a second, I'm all for women protecting themselves, but where does it say she was drunk, you don't know that?
    There are many reasons why an individual may find it difficult or impossible to fight off an attacker.

    I think she was drunk and was semi-conscious, or so the police said.

    I agree with Etho, while it's never a woman's 'fault', it is our responsibility to ensure that we stay as safe as possible. But again, that doesn't give anyone the right to assault us. It's just common sense really - take care of yourself.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    eth0_ wrote: »
    If anything comes of this - and i'm not for one minute suggesting the victim was 'asking for it' or 'deserved' to be attacked - hopefully it will shock a lot of women into NOT drinking themselves into such a state that they could find themselves in such a situation, incapable of fighting off their attacker or calling for help.

    Are you for real? What do you weight? 55- 60 Kg? I'm 110 Kg. I can lift your entire body weight with one arm (There are guys out there who can lift easily my entire body weight with one arm). Could you please explain to me how sober or not you could fight me off. If you had even a moderate amount of alocohol taken you're reaction times are something like 3 - 4 seconds slower. That would be all the time I needed to render you unconscious before you even saw it coming. I cannot tell you how wrong you are to assume that if she had been sober she would have fought this guy off. Furthermore as a bouncer he was in a position of trust which meant her guard might not have been up around him.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,443 ✭✭✭Fink Goddie


    Boston wrote: »
    Are you for real? What do you weight? 55- 60 Kg? I'm 110 Kg. I can lift your entire body weight with one arm (There are guys out there who can lift easily my entire body weight with one arm). Could you please explain to me how sober or not you could fight me off. If you had even a moderate amount of alocohol taken you're reaction times are something like 3 - 4 seconds slower. That would be all the time I needed to render you unconscious before you even saw it coming. I cannot tell you how wrong you are to assume that if she had been sober she would have fought this guy off. Furthermore as a bouncer he was in a position of trust which meant her guard might not have been up around him.

    Ah but a good kick in the balls knocks even the biggest man down!


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,411 ✭✭✭oceanclub


    Ah but a good kick in the balls knocks even the biggest man down!

    Based on that logic, no woman in the history of the world could ever have lost to a man in a fight.(*)

    Since your conclusion is twaddle, I think your logic is slightly flawed.

    (*) And indeed, every fight between 2 men would end in a dead heat.

    P.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    Ah but a good kick in the balls knocks even the biggest man down!

    Sigh. How do you propose kicking someone in the balls when they come at you from the side or from behind and slam you against a wall? Do you have the instincts to immediately sense danger and the viciousness to react in the most destructive manner possible? Or would you hesitate and panic seeing someone twice your size come at you, if you'd seen them at all. Is it right to preach that women should be able to defend themselves in these situations? Are young girls now given self defence classes in schools?

    I have to laugh at this thread.

    We've gone through

    She was the town bike
    She was out for revenge
    She was drunk and therefore fair game

    to now

    She should have been able to fight him off.

    Cop the **** on.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,443 ✭✭✭Fink Goddie


    Boston wrote: »
    Is it right to preach that women should be able to defend themselves in these situations?

    When did I preach?


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,057 ✭✭✭MissFlitworth


    Boston wrote: »
    . Could you please explain to me how sober or not you could fight me off. .

    I don't know that it's a case of fighting you off, I couldn't fight off a man if he was determined to assault me drunk or sober but if you're very drunk then sometimes you can't even get up off the ground and walk away. You can't stop someone picking you up, you can't move your arms properly to stop them taking off your clothes. So how do you prove you didn't want it? How do you show the (possibly also drunk man) that you want them to stop? I do think people (including my stupid self) should take a really hard look at how drunk they let themselves get because when it gets to the point that you can't even protest properly or move your limbs enough to physically show you don't want this, please stop then you're pretty f*cked


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17,163 ✭✭✭✭Boston


    I don't know that it's a case of fighting you off, I couldn't fight off a man if he was determined to assault me drunk or sober but if you're very drunk then sometimes you can't even get up off the ground and walk away. You can't stop someone picking you up, you can't move your arms properly to stop them taking off your clothes. So how do you prove you didn't want it? How do you show the (possibly also drunk man) that you want them to stop? I do think people (including my stupid self) should take a really hard look at how drunk they let themselves get because when it gets to the point that you can't even protest properly or move your limbs enough to physically show you don't want this, please stop then you're pretty f*cked

    If you're actually serious about it, head over to here and look up the various clubs in your area. Even a hand full of self defense classes will dramatically improve your ability to walk away or avoid situations to begin with.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,170 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Ah but a good kick in the balls knocks even the biggest man down!
    eh no. Unlike boston, I weigh feck all and have the comparative male strength of a dormouse, but there are few enough women I couldnt overpower. Pretty quickly too. If one got me in the family jewels it would likely enrage me more. It has on the rare occasions when a bloke did it in a fight.

    I would advise women to take up bostons advice and look to self defence classes. Great for confidence and fitness too. Indeed if I had my way I would even put them on the curriculum of every girls school. This notion that I could handle myself is very high among people never mind women in particular.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,644 ✭✭✭SerialComplaint


    For anyone trying to understand why 50 odd people would shake his hand:
    A) They feel they know him, they've probably known him all their lives, and they believed his version of events.
    Over the CCTV footage?
    B) Unlike you, they've heard his version of events and many of them where with him that night
    Unless they were out beside the skip with him, they don't really know what happened.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,352 ✭✭✭daveyboy_1ie


    For once the Church reacts promptly and correctly

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1218/listowel.html

    The priest who provided a character reference for a convicted sex offender in Kerry has withdrawn from his parish work, following a meeting with the Bishop of Kerry, Dr Bill Murphy.

    Fr Seán Sheehy was criticised by the Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre after he described 35-year old Danny Foley in court as having the height of respect for women.

    Fr Sheehy also queued to embrace and shake hands with Mr Foley minutes before the sentencing hearing in which he was sentenced to five years in jail for sexually assaulted a 22-year-old woman.

    Yesterday Bishop Murphy said he wished to disassociate himself from the statements and actions of Fr Sheehy.

    Bishop Murphy and Fr Sheehy met this morning and a statement from the Diocese of Kerry says Fr Sheehy offered to withdraw from his work in the parish of Castlegregory 'in view of recent events'.

    The statement says Dr Murphy accepted the offer and it will take effect immediately.

    A statement from the Bishop of Kerry read 'This morning Fr Seán Sheehy and Bishop Bill Murphy met. In view of recent events Fr. Seán Sheehy offered to withdraw from his work in the parish of Castlegregory.

    The Bishop of Kerry accepted his offer which takes effect from today, Friday 18 December.

    Fr Seán Sheehy, having retired from an American Diocese, was substituting for the Parish Priest of Castlegregory.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    Does that mean he's being moved somewhere else? Sounds a bit familiar to me.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 34,424 ✭✭✭✭The_Kew_Tour


    Have read the opening post myself and have to say that it really is sad in all areas.

    But what annoyed me quite a lot was what the Priest I have to say. Now before anyone says it I do think there great people the priests and I feel so sorry for majority who have been caught up in the scandals within the church.

    But what he said was disgrace. This woman was assaulted for god sake I dont care how nice a person is that is not part of any moral society in any shape or form. A man has no right to abuse his strength like that and he deserved life for what he did.

    Also I wonder would these people have shook hands with this vile man if he did it too one of there daughters, sisters or relations? I doubt it somehow.

    This comes to another point there too many goody good people in this country have sympathy for killers, assualts etc and having pity for the poor lads as they say.

    Remember back home about ten years ago and young guy beat up an old man and took his money was serious case at time and there was people who still had sympathy for young man. Lucky enough the court took justice but seriously shocked me at time that people were more concerned about state of young lad then the brutal assualt on the old defenseless man.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 16,698 Mod ✭✭✭✭Silverfish


    adrian280582 infracted and post edited.

    We cannot make the warnings any more clear.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 178 ✭✭miseeire


    This priest is obviously a man not fit to wear the collar.It might prove interesting to investigate his history as a priest.There are still many good priests and I am sure they would be mortified with the behaviour of this individual.Yes,it would be very interesting to see if he had "history"in the U.S.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,916 ✭✭✭✭iguana


    NameMe wrote: »
    Are you serious??

    you have decided to leave the Church because a priest shook hands with a convicted sex offender.

    To be honest, I think there are things that I find a hell of a lot more unacceptable than this with regard to the Catholic Church but each to their own.

    Ever heard of the saying 'the straw that broke the camel's back?'


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,145 ✭✭✭SarahSassy


    It reminds me of the Lavinia Kerwick story in Kilkenny where yer man admitted he raped her and still walked free.

    Wonder how she is doing now. She was a very brave girl.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,199 ✭✭✭G-Money


    Maybe I'm missing something, but why were people shaking hands and stuff with yer man? I mean he assaulted that girl, why would anyone support someone who did that?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,286 ✭✭✭SprostonGreen


    In a quasi-Caste system this scumbag probably has status and respectability and the victim does not. These inbred hick scum who sympathised with this low-life need some retribution and I would love to dish it out. Anyone who says that "you dont know the full story" and such like is a dirtbag sex offender-sympathiser and is no better than dirtbag Danny.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,916 ✭✭✭✭iguana


    In a quasi-Caste system this scumbag probably has status and respectability and the victim does not.

    The thing is though, this guy was a bouncer. Not a doctor, lawyer, other pillar of society, but a bouncer. Now no offense to anyone who is/was a bouncer but it's hardly a job held in high respect by most people. And it is a job which often attracts people who enjoy the perks of the job, which include having all the local young women be nice and flirty with you.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 27,857 ✭✭✭✭Dave!


    Maybe he helped old women cross the street and gave half his wages to Concern every week, that's why people like him and refuse to accept what he did. Doesn't make a blind bit of difference really.

    It was only 50 people like. You could make that up in relatives, friends and work colleagues who all think he's a sound bloke.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,185 ✭✭✭asdasd


    Possibly the fact that he has got to be 35 ( right?) with no other conviction, or rumour, in small town makes him seem unlikely to seem like a sexual predator to those who know him.

    In this case however, the CCTV footage seems damning.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 56,627 ✭✭✭✭walshb


    For anyone trying to understand why 50 odd people would shake his hand:
    A) They feel they know him, they've probably known him all their lives, and they believed his version of events.

    B) Unlike you, they've heard his version of events and many of them where with him that night

    Ironically all these claims of close minded country folk sound very close minded to me...

    Once again, I do not know him or anything about this case. Im not defending him. It certainly seems to me that justice was done and he belongs in jail

    Lets assume the 50 genuinely believe he is innocent, okay.

    Did they have to be so very public about it? It showed nothing but contempt
    for that girl. As much as they may have believed in Foley, to go about it the way
    they did was despicable, and unforgivable.

    BTW, I know well you are not excusing this attack.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 6,376 Mod ✭✭✭✭Macha


    In all of this, the person whose behavior I least understand is his fiancee.

    To a certain extent, I can appreciate that his friends and family simply can't accept that he has been found guilty of a sexual offense - I would find it hard as well. But his original story was that he found the victim out by the skip before CCTV footage forced him to change it to partaking in consensual activity. And his fiancee is out there defending him by stressing that the sexual encounter was consensual??

    The ability for the human mind to distort reality in avoidance of an uncomfortable truth always amazes me.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,239 ✭✭✭✭WindSock


    I can't access any of the interviews on the radio stations. :( Anyone have any tips?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,571 ✭✭✭herya


    taconnol wrote: »
    To a certain extent, I can appreciate that his friends and family simply can't accept that he has been found guilty of a sexual offense - I would find it hard as well. But his original story was that he found the victim out by the skip before CCTV footage forced him to change it to partaking in consensual activity. And his fiancee is out there defending him by stressing that the sexual encounter was consensual??

    She was not with him then so she wouldn't have been cheated on. Maybe she's just into lads who like to rough their consensual partner up behind a skip first. He's found his match then.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,239 ✭✭✭✭WindSock


    eth0_ wrote: »
    If anything comes of this - and i'm not for one minute suggesting the victim was 'asking for it' or 'deserved' to be attacked - hopefully it will shock a lot of women into NOT drinking themselves into such a state that they could find themselves in such a situation, incapable of fighting off their attacker or calling for help.

    It sounds as if the victim drank herself into a stupor on the night, and the outcome could have been very different if she'd known her own limits.


    No, if anything comes of this, it will show some small 'close-knit' communities that the rest of nation find the actions which condone backslappery of the perpetrator and the shunning of the (however drunk, sluttish etc :rolleyes:..) victim to be nothing short of disgusting.


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