EXCLUSIVE
TWO woman who say they were sexually abused by the same man accused of raping Maíria Cahill have broken their silence to claim they were "exploited" by "political point scoring" after the case against him collapsed.
The Belfast women, who have both been granted lifetime anonymity orders, spoke for the first time about their experience days after leading human rights lawyer Sir Keir Starmer was appointed to review three cases linked to the abuse allegations.
The former director of public prosecutions for England and Wales will examine the prosecutions launched against west Belfast man Martin Morris, who is also alleged to have been a member of the Provisional IRA.
They women claim that Morris sexually abused them over a period of three years from 1997 to 2000. They were aged just 13 and 14 when they say it began.
The women first reported the alleged sexual assaults to the PSNI in January 2010.
Mr Strarmer, who has announced that he is seeking a nomination to be a Labour candidate in May's general election, will also look at the failed prosecution of four west Belfast republicans - Padraic Wilson, Seamus Finucane, Briege Wright and Agnes McCrory - for IRA membership.
The charges were brought amid claims the republican movement carried out an investigation into the abuse allegations during which west Belfast woman Maíria Cahill was forced to confront her alleged abuser.
In a statement to The Irish News, the two women said they "had lost all faith and trust in the criminal justice system" after they were told by telephone in October 2012 that the trial against Morris had been "adjourned indefinitely to facilitate the related case" of IRA membership against him and the other four.
It has now emerged the shocked victims raised their concerns about the delays during a meeting with senior Public Prosecution Service officials, which was also attended by the PSNI, in December 2012.
The women said that at that meeting they emphasised strongly their only interest was in "prosecuting our abuser and we would have absolutely no involvement in any other emanating proceedings" including allegations of IRA membership.
Deeply unhappy, both women later pulled out of the sexual abuse case because it was "transformed into a politically charged matter".
They also said the "PPS failed to acknowledge or recognise the impact" their approach to dealing with Morris "was and continues to have on us, particularly given the area which we live and the sensitivity of the allegations made".
In April this year Martin Morris was found not guilty of IRA member-ship after the PPS said it was offering no evidence against him.
Weeks later all other charges against him and the four accused of IRA membership were also dropped, again after the PPS offered no evidence.
The women's legal representative Ciaran Mulholland last night said the "PPS drastically failed in their duties to our clients' as per the PPS Protocol for Victims of Rape and Sexual Offences."
He also said that while his clients acknowledge the appointment of Mr Starmer to oversee the review "they would rightfully question how independent and transparent the review will be.
"There remains outstanding clarification on critical elements of this review, namely that of the Terms of Reference and/or the Powers it may have," he said.
A spokeswoman for the PPS said: "The Public Prosecution Service has commissioned an independent Review of these interlinked cases. It is intended that the review will consider all aspects of the cases, which may be unprecedented in complexity as they involve not only multiple complainants but also serious charges relating to sex abuse offences and terrorist-related offences.
"We can confirm that all of the complainants in the cases have been invited to participate in the process and it is our hope that each of the individuals involved will agree to do so.
"The review indicates our commitment to providing a fair and effective prosecution service to everyone in Northern Ireland. The approach will be robust and rigorous and any lessons to be learned from the cases will be addressed openly and transparently."
* INVESTIGATION: Above, clockwise from top left, Seamus Finucane, Padraic Wilson, Briege Wright and Agnes McCrory. Far left, Maíria Cahill. Left Martin Morris (picture courtesy of Sunday World)