Cork: A former mayor has been sentenced to five years in prison for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl at his daughter’s birthday party. He was convicted of molestation 20 years ago.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court found John Hussey, 67, the former mayor of Fermoy, guilty. John Hussey is the former chairman of Fermoy Urban District Council. John Hussey, a prominent criminal and civil law solicitor who was initially elected as a Fianna Fail councillor, later became an independent.
He molested the girl, who was sleeping after attending his daughter’s birthday party. John Hussey hosted his daughter’s birthday party on November 1 and 2, 2003. Hannah Beresford and eight other girls went upstairs to sleep after the party. That’s when John Hussey molested Hannah.
A devastated Hannah told her mother about the incident the next day. Although the Garda and the Southern Health Board were notified, the case was dropped due to the child’s future. Hanna, on the other hand, made a statement to garda in December 2020. Although initially denied, Hussey later pleaded guilty. Four months later, Hussey was arrested. Hussey surrendered at the Circuit Criminal Court and had been in custody since January 31.
Hussey’s attorney argued that it was an isolated incident, but Judge Catherine Staines disagreed. Hannah had suffered too much shame and trauma at such a young age for reasons beyond her control, according to the judge. The judge also mentioned that John Hussey had lost a lot of credibility. The judge praised Hanna’s courage in sticking to the case.
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