Rapist claimed he had 'affair' with stepdaughter, 15, who he raped on her birthday
Brave victim Kim Jordan told Anthony Byrne: 'All you have shown is how a father never should be'
This rapist claimed he was having “an affair” with his then 15 year old stepdaughter - who a court heard he raped while on a family holiday.
Brave victim Kim Jordan today waives her anonymity so that her rapist stepfather’s Anthony Byrne (55) can be named - after a jury found him guilty of raping her on her 15th birthday in Majorca - and again at an incident in a house in Drimnagh, South Dublin.
The court heard how Ms Jordan “wanted to die” as Byrne raped her in their hotel room while on that holiday - after initially trying to initiate “strip poker” with her.
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In an emotional victim impact statement delivered to the court, Ms Jordan said Byrne broke her “physically, mentally and emotionally.” “I thought I was your daughter, I thought you loved me,” she said. “Today I stand here as an adult, 22 years after you raped me on my 15th birthday and taking away not only my virginity, but my innocence and my trust.
“I am and will continue serving a life sentence because of what you have done to me.” At a sentencing hearing before Judge Mary Ellen Ring, Garda Thomas Wafer of Sundrive Garda Station affirmed that the accused had been found guilty of two counts of rape before a jury at the Central Criminal Court on May 15th this year.
The court heard that Byrne, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted by a jury of raping his stepdaughter while on a family holiday in Majorca, Spain in 2002, and again at the family home in Rafters Avenue, Drimnagh.
Garda Wafter agreed with the prosecution that Byrne was in a relationship with the victim’s mother - and that she ultimately made a complaint to gardai in 2018. The court heard that on the day of her 15th birthday Ms Jordan was staying in Majorca with her stepfather and a number of family members when they went to the pool - and then went back to the apartment with him.
There was a “significant age gap” between the pair, the court heard. Ms Jordan had told the court that while back at the apartment Byrne “suggested they play strip poker,” to which she said no. Ms Jordan said she went to go for a shower when Byrne followed her in, “dropped his shorts” and pulled back the curtains before telling her “You’re not done. I’m going to wash you.”
Ms Jordan said Byrne backed her into a corner and used a sponge to wash her while she was naked. She told how she was “balling crying” and “just wanted to die in that moment.” She had told the jury how she got out of the bathroom quickly, but felt “vulnerable” and had “nowhere to go at that stage.”
Byrne came out with a towel and told the victim that he was going to dry her, the court heard. The court heard that Ms Jordan had her underwear halfway up her legs when Byrne put his hand on her shoulder and put her back onto the bed.
She said she was lying there “balling crying” when he got on his knees, took out his penis and then put it into her vagina. Ms Jordan said she went “completely numb,” and to this day still has a vivid recollection of the wood chip wallpaper that was in the hotel room at the time.
She told the jury that while this was happening she just lay there and “wished she was dead.” She was “horrified,” and Byrne became “panicked,” cleaning her off and telling her he was “so sorry,” after ejaculating - the court heard.
Ms Jordan had told the jury that they later went out to dinner and Byrne “acted like nothing had happened. When they got back to the room, which she shared with Byrne, she was “lying awake crying.” The court heard that some months then passed before the next incident - when the accused came into her bedroom at the house in Drimnagh, took out his penis and tried to put it into her vagina.
A knock came at the door and Byrne was “startled,” the court heard. Ms Jordan told how Byrne “never spoke to me about that incident again.”
The prosecution told the sentencing hearing how Ms Jordan ultimately told her mother - and outlined how when she was having a shower she thought she saw a camcorder recording her from the back bedroom that she shared with her sister.
Ms Jordan then confronted Byrne who told her at the time: “You can say what you want. It’s your word against mine.” Ms Jordan went on to tell her friend what was going on - and together with her mother went to the gardai.
The court heard how Byrne, who has no previous convictions, “accepted he had sexual intercourse” with Ms Jordan in Spain - but that he considered it to be consensual. The Defence for Byrne said he is now in a new relationship since 2016 and has two young children - and that he has lived a “crime free, blameless existence” ever since.
He was 33 at the time of the offending behaviour while the victim was 15. Byrne’s position, the court heard was at the time that he was “having an affair with his partner’s daughter.” Defence counsel said it was “regrettable” that such language was used by Mr Byrne, who they said was “not the most eloquent of individuals,” adding “I don’t believe anything was meant by this.”
However Judge Ring said she did not know how what Byrne said could be interpreted any other way “no matter your level of language.” Defence counsel said that Byrne denies culpability and maintains his innocence. References of character were handed into the court - including from Byrne’s now partner - and from his sister.
The court heard that both offences carry sentences of up to 15 years. Judge Ring said she needed time to consider the matter - and said she would issue a sentence next Wednesday.
In her victim impact statement Ms Jordan, who became tearful at times, said when Byrne initially came into her life he was her “best friend and someone I looked up to for most of my childhood. “Little did I know his plan was to use me for his sick sexual pleasures and would go on to ruin my life.
She said home became a “scary place” and said she “always had to be on guard.” Describing her stepfather as “calculated,” she said he “coached me into believing that if I spoke up and your abuse, our family would be ripped apart.
“You made sure I felt trapped, voiceless, and that I had nobody to turn to,” she said. “The mental, physical and emotional pain is still a daily battle for me. I am glad to stand here today having found my voice, in protection of my younger self, and to hold you accountable for the childhood and many years you so callously stole from me,” she added.
Ms Jordan also spoke about Byrne taking the stand in the trial, during which she said he was “declaring that you yourself are a victim in this case, claiming that this was all a ploy to ruin your life in some way.” She said this was “absolute lunacy” and “unfortunately proved yet again that you have zero remorse for your actions.”
“You got up onto the stand in front of a judge and jury and stated that in your mind the age of consent is 16, which leads me to believe that you knew what you were doing was wrong but that your own sick desires were more important than my bodily autonomy and always have been.
“Unfortunately for you, I am no longer that child that you can use for your disgusting pleasures,” she said. “I will no longer keep your sick secret. It is now your burden to carry. What you did to me broke me physically, mentally and emotionally. You cost me my job, my career, and for a period of time, cost me my closest relationship.
“I had nothing. I felt worthless. I was out of work on longer term sick leave for five long years, lost my income, my independence, and my zest for a future. I had to accept social welfare payments for these years which brought me great shame and grave concerns that life might never be ‘normal’ again.
“You turned the people I once called my aunties, uncles and cousins against me with your lies and have denied me the truth for 26 long years.”
She told the court she went through “intensive” therapy and is taking daily medication for depression and anxiety. “I am tortured my memories you have left me with and still to this day have nightmares regularly,” Ms Jordan said.
“The trauma of what you have done to me has ruined my desire to have children. I find it hard to trust anyone and could never bring a child into this world knowing first hand that people like you exist,” she added.
“I honestly believe this will haunt me until my grave, and life will never be as it should have been for me. Today, for me, should have been a celebration of a win, of justice, finally. Instead, it is sad. It is sad because we never had to be here Tony.
“We did not need to be dragged through six years of legal matters, courts and a trial. You could have spared us this further pain by taking responsibility for your actions and pleading guilty. Instead, all you have shown is how a father never should be.
“Not only did you ensure I was torture once more by having to take the stand at trial, where I was examined and cross examined in grave detail. I felt humiliated and shamed, as you portrayed me as some kind of teenage temptress.”
Ms Jordan said she had once “idolised” Byrne and “never wanted anything from you except to love me like a father should.
“I wanted you to walk me down the aisle at our wedding, to help me move into our first house, and to always be someone I loved and was proud of,” she said. "I now know you are not capable of loving anybody unconditionally except for yourself.
“Now you stand here in front of us, I can honestly say that I feel nothing but shame and regret to have loved, trusted and believed in you.”
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