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

dearg lady · 17-12-2009 9:55am #1

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.

Notorious · 17-12-2009 10:05am

He only gets 7 years for that? Not enough IMO. I think its pretty sick that all those people seem to be condoning his actions.

_michelle_ · 17-12-2009 10:05am

im horrified after reading that article that people can still act like that, that man should be hung for what he did not patted on the back bt the locals!
it would put me off ever visiting the village if this is what the folk are like, i cant say how horrified i am words cant express it.
this lady went through a horiffic nightmare & people have the check to critise her

:eek::mad: god some people are so backward in rural places!
she should receive a courage award for going through that experience!

Nevyn · 17-12-2009 10:17am

Yes this is sickening, but it is not surprising and it is not just the attitude in rural villages.
Ireland is rife with victim and slut shaming.
She was out drinking, no doubt dressed up for the night and was in a night club so ergo she was asking for "it".
Seems you need to be a young girl and a virgin or an old lady in your 70s for your attacker to be shunned.

http://www.radiokerry.ie/news/

16 Dec 2009
Listowel man sentenced to seven years for sexual assault

A Listowel man has been sentenced to seven years for sexually assaulting a woman. 35 year old Danny Foley, from Meen, Listowel, was found guilty earlier this month of the offence which took place in a town centre carpark on June 15th 2008.

The incident took place after the pair had left a nightclub. Mr Foley denied the charge saying sexual activity between the pair was consensual. In her victim impact statement, the woman told the court the sexual assault had led her to have suicidal thoughts on several occasions. She said she didn't hate Mr Foley as a person but hated what he had done to her.

In handing down sentence Judge Donagh McDonagh dismissed character witnesses including Fr Sean Sheehy who said Mr Foley didn't have an abusive bone in his body. The judge said Mr Foley had commenced a web of lies about the incident from the moment he was discovered by Gardai, kneeling over the semi-conscious woman who was naked from the waist down. He added no reasonable man could believe a woman, who had earlier complained of feeling sick from drink, could consent to sexual activity.

Around 50 family members and friends of Danny Foley were in court to hear Judge McDonagh hand down a seven year sentence - the final two of which were suspended. Mr Foley was also placed on the sex offenders register for life.

_michelle_ · 17-12-2009 10:23am

but it is shocking to think that if it had been one of their sisters, aunts, grans would they have acted in the same manner

:eek:
do they not have any idea what this lady went through

like hello she was raped!! that is one of the worst crimes possible & to think people patted him on the back, they should hang their heads in shame!

bugler · 17-12-2009 10:23am

Priests being called as character witnesses..I've heard it all now!

Disgraceful behaviour from all concerned.

Nevyn · 17-12-2009 10:25am

No their sisters, aunts and gran's would be respectable women and not be carrying on like drunk floozies in a nightclub and getting a nice lad into such trouble, don't you know.

cson · 17-12-2009 10:25am

With no offence intended; was a priest as a character witness for a rapist the best idea given the controversy surrounding the church at the minute

Beruthiel · 17-12-2009 10:27am

Shocking stuff. Seriously shocking.

AntiRip · 17-12-2009 10:28am

I know Danny very well and I know the victim also. If you lived in the area you'd know the full story that isn't been in the media. I am very shocked and upset with this story. It's very sad when you know the people involved.

Nevyn · 17-12-2009 10:28am

cson wrote: »

With no offence intended; was a priest as a character witness for a rapist the best idea given the controversy surrounding the church at the minute

That would be standard still in smaller towns and communities to have the local priest and your dr who would been seen to have some clout to make character statements. Oh and non one gets to give them for the whore of babylon the victim.

Not surprising the priest said what he did, women are after all temptresses like Eve getting men into trouble.

No consent or lack of proper consent due a person being passed out or too drunk or drugged, should mean that
people do not have sex with that person, end of.

cson · 17-12-2009 10:29am

Actually just to add to that; I'm a student and from what I'd see on nights out and purely anecdotal evidence I'd say that type of scenario happens a lot more often than people think. I'd say a lot of victims just try to put it to the back of their minds/forget about it which isn't the best course of action either.

Definitely fair play to her for following through with something she could have easily chosen to 'forget' about if she wished. An example to everyone.

dearg lady · 17-12-2009 10:30am

cson wrote: »

With no offence intended; was a priest as a character witness for a rapist the best idea given the controversy surrounding the church at the minute

That's what I was thinking!

I suppose in a way she's lucky that she got a conviction(going on the basis of that last thread re rape convictions) and only because he was pretty much caught in the act.

_michelle_ · 17-12-2009 10:32am

AntiRip wrote: »

I know Danny very well and I know the victim also. If you lived in the area you'd know the full story that isn't been in the media. I am very shocked and upset with this story. It's very sad when you know the people involved.

you say you know the people involved, & that were not getting at the full story so what are you trying to say the woman was to blame????

hick · 17-12-2009 10:32am

AntiRip wrote: »

I know Danny very well and I know the victim also. If you lived in the area you'd know the full story that isn't been in the media. I am very shocked and upset with this story. It's very sad when you know the people involved.

set the record straight?

cson · 17-12-2009 10:33am

AntiRip wrote: »

I know Danny very well and I know the victim also. If you lived in the area you'd know the full story that isn't been in the media. I am very shocked and upset with this story. It's very sad when you know the people involved.

Care to give us the full story then?

The fact of the matter is that the man has been convicted by his peers of sexual assault. Now that's a pretty definitive story to me; I'd happen to think the Irish Courts Service are the best proponents of deciding what the 'full' story is.

dearg lady · 17-12-2009 10:33am

Thaedydal wrote: »

Yes this is sickening, but it is not surprising and it is not just the attitude in rural villages.
Ireland is rife with victim and slut shaming.
She was out drinking, no doubt dressed up for the night and was in a night club so ergo she was asking for "it".
Seems you need to be a young girl and a virgin or an old lady in your 70s for your attacker to be shunned.
s/[/url]

Yeah, I don't know why I'm all that surprised really, it just saddens me. I wonder di they really think about the behaviour they're condoning

Nevyn · 17-12-2009 10:34am

He was convicted of sexaul assualt not rape, so please you want to be careful as that can be said to be defamation, none of the reporting uses the term rape.

AntiRip · 17-12-2009 10:35am

look if I'm going to be attacked just because I know the people and just hear whats been said around me I'll say no more. I haven't expressed any opinion only to say it's sad.

AntiRip · 17-12-2009 10:36am

Thaedydal wrote: »

He was convicted of sexaul assualt not rape, so please you want to be careful as that can be said to be defamation, none of the reporting uses the term rape.

was just going to say that

hick · 17-12-2009 10:37am

in fairness I don't think you've been attacked
you indicated you knew the correct events, given the emotion involved in something like this it's not unreasonable for people to want to understand the full facts

Heinrich · 17-12-2009 10:38am

AntiRip wrote: »

I know Danny very well and I know the victim also. If you lived in the area you'd know the full story that isn't been in the media. I am very shocked and upset with this story. It's very sad when you know the people involved.

In the interests of Danny and the nice people of Kerry, could you set the matter straight and tell us the full story? You are shocked and sad and know the people involved. Your contribution to this is to come on a forum with a rather vague one liner. Is this trolling?

chughes · 17-12-2009 10:38am

AntiRip wrote: »

look if I'm going to be attacked just because I know the people and just hear whats been said around me I'll say no more. I haven't expressed any opinion only to say it's sad.

AntiRip, please don't take it as an attack. I, for one, would really like to know why Dan Foley had such support.

17-12-2009 10:38am

AntiRip wrote: »

I know Danny very well and I know the victim also. If you lived in the area you'd know the full story that isn't been in the media. I am very shocked and upset with this story. It's very sad when you know the people involved.

I don't give a ****e what the full storey is. Nothing condones taking advantage of a person in that state.

_michelle_ · 17-12-2009 10:40am

AntiRip wrote: »

look if I'm going to be attacked just because I know the people and just hear whats been said around me I'll say no more. I haven't expressed any opinion only to say it's sad.

so i take it then that you have heard how terrible it is that "danny" was convicted & no doubt there will be a whip around for his families troubling time!! god it really brings home how simple & uneducated country people can act!

hick · 17-12-2009 10:41am

Moonbaby wrote: »

I don't give a ****e what the full storey is. Nothing condones taking advantage of a person in that state.

that's as bad as one of those people who went up and shook his hand, you need to understand the full facts before you make any decision,
and before you start no I do not condone what A COURT WITH THE FACTS has said has happened here and fair play to that lady for having the strength to go through this

pookie82 · 17-12-2009 10:42am

AntiRip wrote: »

look if I'm going to be attacked just because I know the people and just hear whats been said around me I'll say no more. I haven't expressed any opinion only to say it's sad.

There's little point coming on here and cryptically saying "I know more than you guys and it's sad" without elaborating. It's just adding fuel to the fire. Sounds to me like a typical small backward rural community sticking by the local wonder boy who couldn't put a foot wrong. I could easily imagine a similar mindset where I grew up.

It's pretty difficult in this judicial system to get a conviction for a sexual offence so if the court managed to secure one then it can't have been on any small grounds. The guy was caught on CCTV carrying her off to the dumpster for God's sake after testifying that he went to urinate and found her there.

And the village priest testifying that he was an upstanding young man with the utmost respect for women??? FFS!!! And we all know that the testimony of a priest as to the moral upstanding and abhorrence for sexual violence of an accused is trustworthy.

The Examiner hit the nail on the head this morning by comparing it to something from a Brian Friel play.

AntiRip · 17-12-2009 10:43am

_michelle_ wrote: »

so i take it then that you have heard how terrible it is that "danny" was convicted & no doubt there will be a whip around for his families troubling time!! god it really brings home how simple & uneducated country people can act!

there you go, thanks:rolleyes:

enda1 · 17-12-2009 10:46am

He added no reasonable man could believe a woman, who had earlier complained of feeling sick from drink, could consent to sexual activity.

^
The judge's comments.

To me that's a load of shite. I gather the guy did commit sexual assault but I hope there was more "proof" than that!

Sure I'm sure many people on here have had consensual sex after feeling sick from drinking or even after getting sick from drinking! At least I know I have...

morninwood · 17-12-2009 10:46am

sickening sh!te. pictures of all the basterds who patted him on the back should be made public. i am pretty sure some photographer was on site. what kind of sick mind set do these people have? :mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

pookie82 · 17-12-2009 10:47am

enda1 wrote: »

^
The judge's comments.

To me that's a load of shite. I gather the guy did commit sexual assault but I hope there was more "proof" than that!

Sure I'm sure many people on here have had consensual sex after feeling sick from drinking or even after getting sick from drinking! At least I know I have...

I don't think he put forward that it was consensual though. If he had, totally different story. But he seemed to be denying any sexual encounter took place and that he just stumbled upon her. From what I can gather anyway.

*Edit* It appears that he claimed that oral sex took place, a story the judge described as "particularly odious" (Examiner).

17-12-2009 10:47am

hick wrote: »

that's as bad as one of those people who went up and shook his hand, you need to understand the full facts before you make any decision,

Really? Give me any hypothetical situation where it is morally conscionable, to hide a woman incapable of consent behind a dumpster. And interfere with her.

smileysurfer · 17-12-2009 10:51am

hick wrote: »

that's as bad as one of those people who went up and shook his hand, you need to understand the full facts before you make any decision,

Disagree completly!
How much ''facts'' do you need? He assaulted a woman, end of!

Zulu · 17-12-2009 10:52am

Fucking scumbag tbh.

And to anyone who thinks otherwise, just take one second to imagine your girlfriend/fiancé/wife/sister/mother out on a night with her friends. It incenses me beyond reason.

Howjoe1 · 17-12-2009 10:56am

listening to the Parish Priest on the radio made my blood boil. He was one of the 50 "men" who shook the guilty man's hand. Another dark day for the Church.

The hand shakes & hugs were organised by his Mammy.

Good ould Ireland:rolleyes:

Wibbs · 17-12-2009 10:57am

Thaedydal wrote: »

He was convicted of sexaul assualt not rape, so please you want to be careful as that can be said to be defamation, none of the reporting uses the term rape.

+1. Emotive though this is folks, let's stick to the facts of the conviction and leave the conjecture behind. Thanks.

daveyboy_1ie · 17-12-2009 10:58am

Assault is assault, you commit the crime you do the time. I undertsand there are always three sides to every story but noone has the right to have sex with someone against their will or sexually assault them as in this case.

There may indeed be more to the story, she wanted to at first and changed her mind, she was flirting for weeks beforehand with everyone, she slept with everyone else around so why not? i don;t know what the more to the story comment means.

She may or may not have a reputation in the town, but this does not give anyone permission to violate her rights. She was assaulted, he was found guilty, end of story.

hick · 17-12-2009 10:58am

Moonbaby wrote: »

Really? Give me any hypothetical situation where it is morally conscionable, to hide a woman incapable of consent behind a dumpster. And have sex with her.

smileysurfer wrote: »

Disagree completly!
How much ''facts'' do you need? He assaulted a woman, end of!

for starters the Gardaí came upon them before he managed to rape her, thankfully, a friend sister was not that fortunate
secondly as I said in my post I don't condone this situation and like I also said don't try to say that I do
and thirdly it's more important to educate yourself on the facts so you can make an informed comment on the events, that's what I did I suggest you do the same, otherwise you are as small minded as those fools who shook his hand
Now back on topic!:mad:

Kimia · 17-12-2009 11:01am

That poor woman, I feel sick just thinking about this. And turns my stomach to think of these 'middle-aged men' including the priest going up to shake his hand and hug him before he's taken away to jail.

I am trying to think of what the cryptic poster meant by the 'full story', but surely facts are facts. Even if she was hammered out of her skull, kissing 10 men in an hour, flashing her boobs and whatever else, that still doesn't give someone the right to assault her.

Who the F*CK does this 'danny' think he is? Should be chemically castrated, imo.

pookie82 · 17-12-2009 11:02am

hick wrote: »

and thirdly it's more important to educate yourself on the facts so you can make an informed comment on the events, that's what I did I suggest you do the same, otherwise you are as small minded as those fools who shook his hand

I agree, but I think that we can trust a court of law on this one. They heard all of the relevant facts and evidence and have come to the likeliest conclusion so I think that the time for debating his innocence is gone unless some new evidence comes to light.

Vanbis · 17-12-2009 11:04am

AntiRip wrote: »

I know Danny very well and I know the victim also. If you lived in the area you'd know the full story that isn't been in the media. I am very shocked and upset with this story. It's very sad when you know the people involved.

Foley, who had been celebrating his 34th birthday on the night of the offence, had denied the charge. He told gardaí he had “found your wan” after he had gone to relieve himself near a skip at 3.50am. However CCTV footage showed him carrying her to the skip area.

He was found guilty in a court of law and was caught, even tried to lie but CCTV showed what his intentions. The girl probably rejected his advances and he took advantage or tried too.

hick · 17-12-2009 11:04am

agreed the court decided that's my point
they saw all the facts and it appears it was obvious he was guilty
all I can say is thankfully he didn't get any further before the Gardaí arrived
for once the got there early enough to make a difference

Oryx · 17-12-2009 11:04am

I know only the bare bones of this story, but I am more than a little intruiged as to why a community would act this way. Despite our cliched small town attitudes in Ireland, the usual reaction to any kind of sex offender is scorn and hatred. So why is this guy getting tears and sympathy? And why is this woman being 'judged' by her community, with, it seems noone on her side?

I know in a lot of cases there has been an unmentioned attitude of 'she asked for it' but it is never so publicly shown as here. This attitude is so pervasive it is why a lot of sexual assault cases go unreported. Its a sneaky hidden attitude that I have to say, as a people we all carry to some degree. If you think you are better than that, next time you see a couple of girls in bikini tops an minis falling out of a nightclub, examine the first thought that comes to mind, and see.

But like I said, its usually hidden, almost to the point that people think they dont think like that. So why is it that people have come out in this warped show of support here?

hick · 17-12-2009 11:09am

Oryx wrote: »

But like I said, its usually hidden, almost to the point that people think they dont think like that. So why is it that people have come out in this warped show of support here?

Usually because a small group of morons would rather call a victim a liar rather than believe something so heinous could happen their town

smileysurfer · 17-12-2009 11:12am

hick wrote: »

for starters the Gardaí came upon them before he managed to rape her, thankfully, a friend sister was not that fortunate
secondly as I said in my post I don't condone this situation and like I also said don't try to say that I do
and thirdly it's more important to educate yourself on the facts so you can make an informed comment on the events, that's what I did I suggest you do the same, otherwise you are as small minded as those fools who shook his hand
Now back on topic!:mad:

:rolleyes:
Thats exactly what I did, I have read the article and what the courts have said and that is more than enough for me to go on!!

Oryx · 17-12-2009 11:13am

hick wrote: »

Usually because a small group of morons would rather call a victim a liar rather than believe something so heinous could happen their town

So why this particular set of morons? Ive just never seen this done before, and it beggars belief, really. Usually its a quiet whispering campaign, which always casts a slur on the victim, but never so directly as this.

pookie82 · 17-12-2009 11:17am

Oryx wrote: »

I know only the bare bones of this story, but I am more than a little intruiged as to why a community would act this way. Despite our cliched small town attitudes in Ireland, the usual reaction to any kind of sex offender is scorn and hatred. So why is this guy getting tears and sympathy? And why is this woman being 'judged' by her community, with, it seems noone on her side?

I know in a lot of cases there has been an unmentioned attitude of 'she asked for it' but it is never so publicly shown as here. This attitude is so pervasive it is why a lot of sexual assault cases go unreported. Its a sneaky hidden attitude that I have to say, as a people we all carry to some degree. If you think you are better than that, next time you see a couple of girls in bikini tops an minis falling out of a nightclub, examine the first thought that comes to mind, and see.

But like I said, its usually hidden, almost to the point that people think they dont think like that. So why is it that people have come out in this warped show of support here?

There's any manner of things at play here that we'll probably never hear about. Maybe the girl was very promiscuous around the village and this Danny guy was known as a quiet and friendly fella who did his neighbours good deeds and kept himself to himself in the public eye. Maybe there's a family history between the two or some unmentioned reason why people would assume she wanted some sort of revenge on him. All absolutely wild speculation obviously, and now irrelevant as the court has found him guilty.

What worries me most about the whole thing is the public display of unity with a convicted sex offender. Whatever their reasons, it puts out such a shockingly negative message to any girl (rural or otherwise but particularly living in that kind of setting) who might otherwise have brought a case against a man who assaulted her, in a judicial system where the odds are already stacked against you from the moment you report a sex crime. Surely if they had sympathies they could have shown them in private.

Howjoe1 · 17-12-2009 11:17am

Oryx wrote: »

I know only the bare bones of this story, but I am more than a little intruiged as to why a community would act this way. Despite our cliched small town attitudes in Ireland, the usual reaction to any kind of sex offender is scorn and hatred. So why is this guy getting tears and sympathy? And why is this woman being 'judged' by her community, with, it seems noone on her side?

I know in a lot of cases there has been an unmentioned attitude of 'she asked for it' but it is never so publicly shown as here. This attitude is so pervasive it is why a lot of sexual assault cases go unreported. Its a sneaky hidden attitude that I have to say, as a people we all carry to some degree. If you think you are better than that, next time you see a couple of girls in bikini tops an minis falling out of a nightclub, examine the first thought that comes to mind, and see.

But like I said, its usually hidden, almost to the point that people think they dont think like that. So why is it that people have come out in this warped show of support here?

His mammy staged it. rang all the friends and the priest that admitted he had been out of the country for years but still knew he was a good lad. The priest didn't offer ant christianity to the victim, just referred to her disparagingly as "you're one"

17-12-2009 11:17am

hick wrote: »

for starters the Gardaí came upon them before he managed to rape her, thankfully, a friend sister was not that fortunate

By this guy, or how exactly is this fact relevant.

hick wrote: »

thirdly it's more important to educate yourself on the facts so you can make an informed comment on the events, that's what I did I suggest you do the same, otherwise you are as small minded as those fools who shook his hand
Now back on topic!:mad:

My comment was directly in relation to the furthur information that this Kerryman, suggests would sway our opinions.
Information that he then admitted was small town talk, rather than fact.

Look dude if you fancy going on somekind of early morning keyboard warrior ego trip.
Chose a better subject matter.

bronte · 17-12-2009 11:18am

This is absolutely disgusting. What the hell is wrong with these people?
How can they approach someone who's been assaulted sexually and ask her if she is sorry for bringing this guy to court? SORRY?
He sexually assaulted her!

A quick google has brought up that parish priest's details. He'll be getting a friendly Christmas letter from bronte demanding an explanation for his actions.

This makes me sick. :mad::mad:

AntiRip · 17-12-2009 11:19am

Oryx wrote: »

So why this particular set of morons? Ive just never seen this done before, and it beggars belief, really. Usually its a quiet whispering campaign, which always casts a slur on the victim, but never so directly as this.

Guys, been from the area I would love to tell you the thoughts in these peoples heads but afraid to say it on a public forum. All I can say guys is that there is a lot more to this story. Really there is. I'm sure the full story or understanding why this has happened will come out.

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

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