This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-22797043
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 2 | Version 3 |
---|---|
Mary Meehan says she has hard life due to stepmother abuse | Mary Meehan says she has hard life due to stepmother abuse |
(1 day later) | |
The stepdaughter of a former Sinn Fein councillor found guilty of child cruelty has said she has had "a hard life" as a result of the abuse. | The stepdaughter of a former Sinn Fein councillor found guilty of child cruelty has said she has had "a hard life" as a result of the abuse. |
On Wednesday, Briege Meehan, from Elmfield Street in Belfast, pleaded guilty to two charges of child cruelty and assault. | |
Seven sexual abuse charges she faced were "left on the books" and not proceeded with. | Seven sexual abuse charges she faced were "left on the books" and not proceeded with. |
The offences occurred between July 1979 and October 1980. | The offences occurred between July 1979 and October 1980. |
The victim of the abuse, her stepdaughter, Mary Meehan, said: "People might think I'm strong, I don't feel strong, I feel like that 10-year-old girl locked in a dog hut and nobody wanting to know. | The victim of the abuse, her stepdaughter, Mary Meehan, said: "People might think I'm strong, I don't feel strong, I feel like that 10-year-old girl locked in a dog hut and nobody wanting to know. |
"I don't know how I feel, I just feel numb. I don't know if I'll ever be able to feel normal, because I don't know what that feels like." | "I don't know how I feel, I just feel numb. I don't know if I'll ever be able to feel normal, because I don't know what that feels like." |
Mary said the "more serious" abuse started after Briege Meehan gave birth to her daughter and Mary's father, veteran IRA member Martin Meehan, went to prison, "but a lot of the silly things, where she'd trip me up, or nip me, or call me names, that used to go on even when daddy was there, behind his back". | Mary said the "more serious" abuse started after Briege Meehan gave birth to her daughter and Mary's father, veteran IRA member Martin Meehan, went to prison, "but a lot of the silly things, where she'd trip me up, or nip me, or call me names, that used to go on even when daddy was there, behind his back". |
She said her father had converted the attic so she could have her own room and decorated it "beautifully". | She said her father had converted the attic so she could have her own room and decorated it "beautifully". |
'Worst place' | 'Worst place' |
But when he was jailed for IRA offences, her stepmother put a lock on the outside of it and she wasn't allowed to leave it. | But when he was jailed for IRA offences, her stepmother put a lock on the outside of it and she wasn't allowed to leave it. |
"It turned from a beautiful place to be, to the worst place that anybody could ever be," Mary said. | "It turned from a beautiful place to be, to the worst place that anybody could ever be," Mary said. |
"A lot of the time I spent there on my own, crying, begging, hurting, fear - it was the most horrible place to be. | "A lot of the time I spent there on my own, crying, begging, hurting, fear - it was the most horrible place to be. |
"There was no toilet, there was only one toilet in the house, which was down the stairs from the attic, she made me urinate and both ways in a bucket." | "There was no toilet, there was only one toilet in the house, which was down the stairs from the attic, she made me urinate and both ways in a bucket." |
She said also started to wet the bed, but her stepmother would not change the sheets or let her wash herself. She said there were maggots in the mattress. | She said also started to wet the bed, but her stepmother would not change the sheets or let her wash herself. She said there were maggots in the mattress. |
"I remember one particular day going to school and I was in the line to go into the classroom and all the girls started laughing and shouting 'smell you, you smell of pee' and no-one would sit beside me," she said. | "I remember one particular day going to school and I was in the line to go into the classroom and all the girls started laughing and shouting 'smell you, you smell of pee' and no-one would sit beside me," she said. |
Hair cut with razor blades | Hair cut with razor blades |
When she caught nits in school, her stepmother cut her long blond hair with razor blades. | When she caught nits in school, her stepmother cut her long blond hair with razor blades. |
In another incident, Mary was locked in a dog-house in the yard. | In another incident, Mary was locked in a dog-house in the yard. |
"I was there for three full days in the dog-hut and it was snowing and it was freezing and all I had on me was a pair of pants and a top," she said. | "I was there for three full days in the dog-hut and it was snowing and it was freezing and all I had on me was a pair of pants and a top," she said. |
"She warned me if I shouted or made a noise she'd bring me up the stairs and deal with me in the attic. After she let me out I had to go to school and I remember I had fleas jumping off me." | "She warned me if I shouted or made a noise she'd bring me up the stairs and deal with me in the attic. After she let me out I had to go to school and I remember I had fleas jumping off me." |
Mary said her stepmother often told her why she was picking on her. | Mary said her stepmother often told her why she was picking on her. |
"She kept saying to me, 'you remind me of your mummy', who she for some reason despised, but didn't even know," she said. | "She kept saying to me, 'you remind me of your mummy', who she for some reason despised, but didn't even know," she said. |
Breege Meehan has only pleaded guilty to two charges of child cruelty and assault. | |
Social services | Social services |
After neighbours and a primary school teacher started to ask questions, Mary said social services investigated. | After neighbours and a primary school teacher started to ask questions, Mary said social services investigated. |
"They knew there was stuff going on eight months prior to me being removed from her care and put onto the at risk register," she said. | "They knew there was stuff going on eight months prior to me being removed from her care and put onto the at risk register," she said. |
"So I don't know why they could have let a child go through that, because only for my neighbours I probably would have been dead." | "So I don't know why they could have let a child go through that, because only for my neighbours I probably would have been dead." |
Mary said that as a result of the abuse she had suffered, she had smothered her own four children with love. | Mary said that as a result of the abuse she had suffered, she had smothered her own four children with love. |
"I became a grandmother 17 months ago to a little granddaughter who I worship more than life itself," she said. | "I became a grandmother 17 months ago to a little granddaughter who I worship more than life itself," she said. |
"My children and my granddaughter and my brothers and my sister-in-law and my dear friends - only for them I don't think I'd be here today." | "My children and my granddaughter and my brothers and my sister-in-law and my dear friends - only for them I don't think I'd be here today." |