A BRAVE Spanish tourist has revealed how her life was “turned upside down” after she was raped at a New Year’s Eve party in Dublin.
The claim was made by the woman, now 26, after Christopher O’Grady’s legal team apologised at the Central Criminal Court on his behalf for raping the then 19-year-old on January 1, 2019.
O’Grady, 33, from Dundalk, had been found guilty of one count of rape in March. The court also heard that he had accepted the verdict of the jury and “harm was done” to the victim.
A previous court hearing heard how the woman, who had been under the influence of alcohol, had been raped when she was looking for her friend after they became separated.
Although he was due to be sentenced, the case was put back after the victim claimed in her impact statement that she wanted to “meet” O’Grady.
In her victim impact statement, which was read to the court, she said: “Although I don’t know why, I know I want to speak to my attacker in a safe place and ask him why.
“He turned my life upside down and he didn’t see the person behind my body.
“I would like to be able to look him in the eye and ask him what reasons anyone could have to be so cruel to a young woman who, alone and driven by fear, found no other way out than to trust a stranger to help her.
“I want to see if he believes his lies and I want him to witness the pain he has caused, to suffer my pain and see the wounds he’s left on me and to see himself as monstrous as I have seen.”
She also said in her statement: “I am afraid of things that I used to enjoy – like walking alone in the street at night time, going out to parties.
“I carry many painful memories both with myself and around me.
“I have to move forward and I need to close this case.”
She also used her victim impact statement to thank the Gardai, the Rotunda Hospital and the Victim Support Service for their support.
The court heard how the Probation Service has been asked to decide if a meeting is possible.
The case has been adjourned until July 24.
