A woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by a councillor as a teenager wept as she gave evidence against him yesterday.
Giving evidence via videolink at Coleraine Court, the woman told Judge Melody McReynolds the day she was allegedly sexually assaulted by 73-year-old Brian Duffin “was something I don’t want to remember.”
Duffin, who continues to sit on Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council despite his conviction for sexually assaulting the teenage girl in her own home, was jailed for four months at Antrim Magistrates Court last July but the pensioner is appealing that conviction and sentence.
Following a short contest in July, the judge convicted Duffin, a father and grandfather from the Cargin Road in Toomebridge, of sexually assaulting his then 17-year-old victim on 16 June 2016.
The court heard then how the pensioner, who resigned his position with the SDLP after he was initially charged but who continues to sit as an independant, “stuck his tongue” into her mouth, had one hand on her breast and the other on her inner thigh during the sexual assault.
At yesterday’s hearing at the County Appeal Court, the victim's hour long Achieving Best Evidence video interview the police held with the victim was played to the court.
Under cross examination from defence QC Arthur Harvey yesterday, the victim described Duffin as “touchy feely.”
The senior lawyer asked her why she did not tell the interviewing detective her claims of Duffin putting his tongue in her mouth until later in the interview and she explained how she gave an account which was then “broken down” and further details extracted by the officer.
With the woman often appearing emotional during her cross examination, Mr Harvey suggested having a break but she insisted on continuing, the victim telling him “I’m more than capable of answering questions.”
He asked her why in her initial account there was some confusion whether the incident happened in June or July but having recounted how there was numerous stressful events going on in her life at the time, she told Mr Harvey the day Duffin sexually assaulted her was an event “I tried to block out - it’s not something that I want to remember.”
Mr Harvey is set to continue his cross examination today.
