ALLAN WRIGHT FROM COUNTY MAYO SENTENCED FOR ABUSE OF NINE-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN IRELAND

In a case that has left a lasting scar on a victim and shocked the community in County Mayo, Allan Wright, a man with a dark history of abusing a young girl, has been sentenced to prison for his heinous acts. The abuse, which took place during the early 1980s, involved Wright repeatedly touching the nine-year-old girl’s thighs and genital area, with incidents occurring two to three times weekly over a span of approximately three years.

The victim, now 41 years old, bravely provided a detailed statement describing the profound and lasting impact of Wright’s actions. She revealed that the trauma left her feeling suicidal and compelled her to seek professional counseling to cope with the emotional scars. Her account painted a picture of a childhood stolen from her, marked by confusion, shame, and a sense of loss of innocence.

She candidly admitted to engaging in self-harm as a way to deal with the pain inflicted upon her. In her statement, she expressed her feelings of betrayal and the deep sense of violation, stating, "He took away my innocence and what I should have had as a child, and replaced it with his sick perversion." The emotional toll was evident as she described her adolescence as a period of turmoil, feeling dirty and unable to enjoy intimacy, as sex made her feel sick. She also shared her fears about the future, confessing that she found it difficult to look forward to having children, as she never felt her life was stable enough after what Wright had done.

During the sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Wright, who appeared in a navy suit, sat quietly in the dock, showing no visible emotion. The presiding judge, Nigel Gilmour, delivered a stern sentence of sixteen months in prison. In his remarks, Judge Gilmour emphasized the devastating impact of Wright’s actions, stating, "If anyone had any doubt at all about what damage these actions can do, they should read this [victim impact] statement. I found the contents heart-breaking."

The judge further explained that the severity of the breach of trust and the frequency of the abuse left no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence. He highlighted the profound emotional harm caused to the victim, noting that she felt more frightened than she had ever been before. The court’s decision underscores the serious consequences of such violations and the importance of justice for victims of abuse in County Mayo and beyond.