A man has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being found guilty of non-recent indecent assaults against a child. Edmund Hennessy, aged 72, was convicted of one count of indecent assault against a child under the age of 16 in 2022, with the jury unable to reach a decision on the other charges. Following discussions with the victim, it was agreed that Hennessy would be retried for the remaining seven counts, for which he was found guilty in July this year.
In a statement presented in court, the victim disclosed the enduring impact of Hennessy’s abuse, stating that she continues to grapple with the trauma on a daily basis. She revealed, “I suffer from flashbacks and poor sleep due to the abuse. It has led to low self-confidence, affecting my work and relationships. The emotional abuse as a child was horrific, causing fear and a lack of safety.”
The victim expressed a sense of relief at the conclusion of Hennessy’s trial, sharing, “Now an outcome has been reached and justice will be served, I feel I can start to heal and move on and start to rebuild my life.” She credited the positive impact of confiding in her family about the abuse, along with the invaluable support received from the police officer and independent sexual violence advisor.
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PC Nikki Adams, the officer involved in the case, commended the victim’s bravery, emphasizing the importance of speaking up against perpetrators of sexual offences. Adams emphasized the hope that the verdict and prison sentence would facilitate the victim’s healing process and encourage other survivors to come forward and seek justice for their experiences.
