PREDATOR JAILED 

I felt horror and shame after sleepover sex assault, says brave victim after former mayor is caged

• Published: 17:03, 25 Apr 2023
• Updated: 17:04, 25 Apr 2023

A FORMER Fianna Fáil politician has been jailed for five years for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old while she was at a sleepover in his home 20 years ago.

John Hussey, who served as a Mayor of Fermoy, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting Hannah Beresford on November 2/3, 2003 in the Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Brave Hannah, who waived her right to anonymity, told the Court that she has suffered mental health issues arising from the incident.

Judge Catherine Staines heard that Hannah initially thought that John Hussey, who retired as a lawyer in 2019, had entered a bedroom she was sharing with other children during a sleepover.

Det Garda Mairead Morrissey said: “She was trying to go to sleep and she heard footsteps in the room.

“She was aware someone was at the end of the bed. She opened her eyes and could see her friend’s father.”

The detective told the court that Hussey rubbed the child’s vagina before putting his finger inside and only stopped because she yelped in pain.

Hannah later told her mother what had occurred, with the victim’s mother approaching a principal, a doctor and solicitor for advice.

The Southern Health Board and gardai were also notified.

However, the family were unsure how to proceed as they believed giving a statement would be difficult for the young girl.

In December, 2020 she decided to make a statement.

Hussey was arrested in April 2021 and invoked his right to stay silent.

However, he had a pre-prepared statement where he denied assaulting the complainant.

In January of this year Mr Hussey, formerly of Corrin View in Fermoy, Co Cork pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting Ms Beresford on a date between November 1st and 2 2003.

Hussey, who has no previous convictions, voluntarily entered custody pending his sentencing hearing.

He indicated in writing his intention to plead guilty to the charge when the case came before the court.

He was charged with sexual assault of the girl contrary to Common Law and Section 2 of the Criminal Law Rape Amendment Act, 1990.

Today Hannah Beresford delivered a victim impact statement in which she outlined how she was overwhelmed with confusion “swiftly followed by fear” during the assault.

She said that the trauma of what occurred to her as an eight-year-old child impacted on her romantic relationships as she became a young woman.

She added: “As I got older, I started to better understand the nature of what happened to me. That understanding brought a greater sense of horror and shame.”

Judge Staines noted that Mr Hussey was the full time carer for his mother who has Alzheimer’s and that he had suffered a marital breakdown as well as a loss of his reputation.

She jailed Hussey for six years suspending the final year of the sentence and backdating it to January of this year when the defendant first entered custody.