KEVIN MCSTRAW FROM BANBRIDGE PLEADS GUILTY TO CHILD SEX ABUSE CHARGES IN NEWRY

In a significant development at Newry Crown Court, Kevin McStraw, a 60-year-old man from Ballygowan Park, Banbridge, has admitted to multiple charges related to the sexual abuse of a young girl. The case, which dates back to the early 1990s, has garnered considerable attention due to the victim's emotional testimony and the defendant's sudden change of plea.

According to court records, McStraw pleaded guilty to nine out of the 18 charges brought against him. These charges include indecent assault of a female child under the age of 13, with specific incidents occurring between July 26, 1991, and July 25, 1992. The victim, a woman now in her late thirties from Lurgan, spoke publicly after the hearing, expressing her relief and sense of justice.

The woman revealed that she had endured ongoing abuse over several years during her early teenage years. She described her feelings upon hearing McStraw’s guilty plea as a mixture of relief and vindication. “He had denied everything for many years and he just changed his plea to guilty at the last minute,” she explained. “He let it go right down to the wire. All these years I wasn’t believed. Finally I feel vindicated.”

McStraw’s plea included eight counts of indecent assault on the same victim, with incidents spanning from July 1990 to July 1993. He also admitted to assaulting her on unspecified dates within that period. Despite his guilty pleas to several charges, McStraw maintained his innocence on other counts, notably two charges of gross indecency with or towards a child, which he left on the books. These charges pertain to incidents between July 26, 1991, and July 25, 1992.

Additionally, McStraw pleaded not guilty to six counts of indecent assault on the same girl, covering dates from July 1988 to July 1990. These charges, along with others, remain unresolved and are considered 'left on the books.' He also denied assaulting the victim on unspecified dates between July 1992 and July 1993, with those charges similarly unresolved.

The court proceedings concluded with the judge reserving judgment and granting McStraw continued bail. The defendant is scheduled to appear before Belfast Crown Court for sentencing on August 4. The case has left a lasting impact on the victim, who expressed her feelings of justice finally being served after years of silence and disbelief.