Fiancee: He's one of the gentlest souls I’ve ever met
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THE girlfriend of a convicted sex offender has said he is "one of the gentlest souls" she has ever met and has vowed to stand by him.
Michelle O’Sullivan (32) made the comments after her fiance, Danny Foley (35), was jailed on Wednesday for five years for sexually assaulting a woman in Listowel, Co Kerry, in June 2008.
She visited him in Cork prison yesterday and said he is in “good spirits” and added that she plans to marry the former bouncer as soon as he is released from prison.
“I would describe Danny as the gentlest soul I have ever met in my life,” she said.
“I would call him considerate, thoughtful, kind and decent and trustworthy.”
He asked for her hand in marriage just two days before his sex assault trial started – but she said she had “absolutely no doubt whatsoever” that he was the man she wanted to marry.
However, Vera O’Leary of the Kerry Rape Crisis Centre hit out at her comments, saying she is causing further distress to the victim.
She also pointed out that he was found guilty by a jury of his peers and that his evidence was not believed by the judge.
Prior to Foley’s sentencing around 50 people, some of them in tears, approached him in the courtroom to shake his hand and hug him. Local priest Fr Sean Sheehy also gave a character reference at the trial and said Foley was always “respectful of women”.
Last night, Ms O’Sullivan told the Irish Independent that the show of support was “voluntary”.
“They weren’t asked, they went voluntarily,” she said.
“The amount of people who turned up in court emphasises the support for him.”
Ms O’Sullivan began dating Foley in March and he told her about the allegation three weeks later. They got engaged on her birthday, November 30. He was convicted of the assault less than one week later.
During the trial the court heard that gardai on patrol found the victim, then 22, semiconscious alongside a skip in a car park early on June 15, 2008, with a man “crouching over her”.
The court heard she was naked from the waist down with her jeans and underwear removed and had extensive bruises and scratching throughout her body.
Footage
During the trial Foley, of Meen, Listowel – who referred to the victim as ‘your wan’ – had initially denied carrying her to the skip area but CCTV footage showed he did.
“Danny denied carrying the girl and Danny still maintains that he had no recollection of carrying her,” said Ms O’Sullivan.
“He told them he had no recollection of carrying her but, having seen it on the CCTV footage, he accepted that he did do that. I do accept that and Danny accepts that.
“The worst case scenario we had anticipated hadn’t even come close to this. For the type of offence Danny was convicted of we had anticipated a sentence of maybe three years.”
Last night, Ellen O’Malley Dunlop of the Rape Crisis Centre said they have received an “unprecedented” number of calls after the courtroom reports of the show of support for the sex offender.
She said many were from members of the public who wanted to offer their support for the victim – but others were from rape victims who were concerned they would not be believed if they came forward.
Vera O’Leary of the Kerry Rape Crisis Centre said she cannot understand how this has turned into something “from the dark ages”.
“The whole traumatic assault has been reawakened for her,” she said yesterday.
“The court appearance where everyone was shaking his (Foley’s) hand was incredibly traumatic.”
She commended the young woman for having the courage to read her victim impact statement even after witnessing the show of support for him.
Ms O’Sullivan said she will not get to see her fiance again until Christmas Eve. They plan to appeal the conviction.
Foley’s brother, Tim, spoke of the family’s distress at both the conviction and sentence after they visited him for the first time in Cork Prison.
“He has lodged a full appeal against the conviction and against the sentence which we are delighted with.”
“We are supporting him 100pc. He would like to thank everyone who believes in him.”
Foley will be placed on the sex offenders register for life.
? The 24-hour Rape Crisis Centre number is 1800 77 88 88.
- Edel Kennedy and Ralph Riegel
