5 years jail for former mayor who abused girl, 8, during sleepover with his daughter

Victim thought sick pervert was tucking her in before cruel attack

- OLIVIA KELLEHER

A FORMER mayor has been jailed for five years for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old having a sleepover at his home with other kids.

Hannah Beresford, who waived her right to anonymity, told Cork Circuit Criminal Court she had not understood why her friend's father was hurting her in the dark as she slept in a bedroom with two other girls.

Judge Catherine Staines heard Hannah initially thought John Hussey, 67, a retired solicitor and ex-Fianna Fail councillor for Fermoy, was tucking her in before she realised it was something more sinister.

Det Garda Mairead Morrissey said Hannah was on her first ever sleepover, with eight or nine children divided into two bedrooms.

Det Garda Morrissey said that Hannah was still awake and she remembered the door being ajar and the light coming in from the landing.

She said Hussey began squeezing the child's leg before going on to abuse her.

Hannah felt pain and yelped and Hussey stopped what he was doing.