TERAPROOF:User:paulmccarthyDate:09/09/2013Time:21:19:04Edition:10/09/2013ExaminerLiveXX1009Page:
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Irish Examiner Tuesday 10.09.2013
‘Coronation Street’ star Le Vell awaits jury verdict in rape trial by Kim Pilling The jury in the trial of Coronation Street’s Michael Le Vell was told it must decide if the alleged victim is telling the truth or set out to “quite literally destroy the life” of the actor. The eight women and four male jurors were sent out to consider their verdicts after being told by Judge Michael Henshell that their assessment of the alleged victim was “critical in this case”. Le Vell, 48, who has played garage mechanic Kevin Webster in the soap for 30 years, is accused of sexually assaulting and raping the youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons. The actor, a father of two, sat listening to final legal submissions as his family members watched from the public gallery beside press benches packed with reporters at Manchester Crown Court. An upstairs public gallery was also filled with members of the public awaiting the outcome of the week-long trial. Le Vell, being tried under his real name of Michael Turner, denies five counts of rape, three of indecent assault, two counts of sexual activity with a child, and two of causing a child to engage in sexual activity. The jury will return this morning to resume its deliberations. Earlier Eleanor Laws QC, prosecuting, told the jury
‘Coronation Street’ actor Michael Le Vell outside Manchester Crown Court where he is on trial for a series of alleged child sex offences. Picture: Dave Thompson/PA Wire the “courage” of the alleged sex abuse victim must be marked by guilty verdicts if she was telling the truth. His accuser had no reason to lie and the only explanation for her allegations was that it was the “uncomfortable truth”, Ms Laws said. “You saw her as bubbly, lovely, naive, so lovely,” she said. “She was not twisted.” Ms Laws told the jury: “You are the most important people in the courtroom. “It is you who decide the facts. At the end of the day it is your collective
decision that is important.” She said they may have “strong feelings” about these type of allegations. “For example, before we started this trial, some of you may have thought there seems to be a lot of prosecutions of celebrities,” she said. “’Is there some kind of witch-hunt? Has the world gone mad?’ No one likes to think that someone they liked or admired has done anything like this.” She said they may also think that it was “such an easy allegation to make”
Mental health ‘a stigma’ for youths seeking help by Noel Baker The stigma of mental health is deterring many young people from seeking help. And a new survey suggests almost one-in-four people believe mental health difficulties are a sign of below-average intelligence. Conducted on behalf of St Patrick’s Mental Health Services, the survey indicated 60% of those questioned said they would discriminate against hiring someone with a history of mental illness on the grounds they may be unreliable. Its chief executive Paul Gilligan said the stigma which still attached to mental health issues needed to be tackled with a greater emphasis on the problem at school level. “Each year, we continue to be disturbed by the level of stigma that still exists towards those with a mental health difficulty,” Mr Gilligan said. “We know one in four of us will have to deal with
such a difficulty like this at some point in our lives. “That means every single family in Ireland is affected by mental illness. “We need to challenge the stigma that exists and prioritise mental health in the same way we do our physical health. It has been said physical health is easier to understand because we know that healing is possible. “However, there is a need to promote mental health education in Irish schools and workplaces to ensure that everyone knows that recovery is possible and those that need help don’t wait to get that help.” The survey, in which approximately 500 people took part, found 41% of respondents felt undergoing treatment for a mental health problem was a sign of personal failure. And 30% said they would not willingly accept, as a close friend, someone with a mental health problem.
but “difficult to defend”. But crimes like this did take place and could go undetected for years, she said. Ms Laws continued: “Look very carefully at [the alleged victim’s] evidence and cast your mind to this time last week when you were looking at her and listening to her evidence. “What was your reaction? That is what counts. Nothing more, nothing less.” Alisdair Williamson then gave the closing speech for the defence, telling jurors the girl’s claims were
“inconsistent, incoherent and unbelievable”. He began by saying it was a “strange case of child rape” without any evidence of blood or semen or injuries to the alleged victim. “Welcome to the prosecution’s hall of mirrors,” he told the jury. “Where up is down and left is right. “You are going to throw a man’s life away? You are going to cast him to the outer darkness of being a child rapist?” Mr Williamson continued. “Where is the consistency, the solidity of evidence on which you are going to be sure? Not there, simply not there.” Mr Williamson said the defendant was a “drunk, bad husband and inadequate father” whose behaviour was sometimes “terrible”, but he is not a child rapist. Mr Williamson then asked the jury to consider Le Vell’s own evidence from the witness box during a “ferocious cross-examination” by prosecutor Ms Laws QC. “Did you think he was acting or was his evidence the scared and frightened evidence of a man who faces the most unbelievable and terrible thing ever to happen to a man — a girl saying he raped her? “He’s a man, a weak man, a stupid man, a drunk man, but nothing in this case has taken you anywhere near, I suggest, the level of certainty you would need so you can look in the mirror in the days that come and say ’I was sure’.”
Celtech Tiger — 53% now own a smartphone by Audrey Ellard Walsh
Paul Gilligan: Every family affected by mental illness. Of the people questioned, 37% said an immediate member of their family had received treatment for a mental health issue. A further 52% said some of their close friends had been treated, while 49% said they had worked with someone treated for emotional or mental health problems. St Patrick’s offers a dedicated mental health services for adolescents aged 14 to 18 years and a young adult service for those aged 18 to 25 years. Figures show that it had 2,000 inpatients last year, including 68 adolescents, 178 young adults and more than 5,000 appointments offered in its community Dean Clinics in Dublin, Cork and Galway.
Digital habits are changing the way we interact with each other. The third Eircom Household Sentiment Survey reveals the influence of technology on our lives is greatly increasing. The survey found 53% of the population over the age of 16 (1.7 million people) now own a smartphone, from 39% only 12 months ago. Meanwhile, one in four now have access to a tablet computer, with another 450,000 Irish people likely to purchase one by the end of the year. The survey also highlights an increasing reliance on apps as a tool for modern living. Of the 1,000 people surveyed, 51% regularly rely on apps to find directions when away. Other uses include keeping up-to-date on news and sports (56%), keeping fit (28%), and travelling (41%). It seems even when we
sit in front of our TVs in the evenings we no longer switch off from the outside world. One in three people tweet and post online while watching television. David Coleman, a clinical psychologist who worked on the survey, described this phenomenon of “media stacking” as “a fascinating behavioural trend that gives an insight into how we, as a society, will engage with technology in the future”. According to the survey, 33% of the population do not understand new technology, in particular older generations — 45% of 50-64-year-olds and three quarters of over 65s. Eircom consumer marketing director Lisa Comerford said: “On the one hand there is a need for education to improve a large section of the populations’ understanding of new technology, on the other, younger generations are embracing technology wholeheartedly.”
Killarney remains country’s most expensive hotel destination by Stephen Rogers Killarney remains the country’s most expensive hotel destination with tourists willing to pay an average of €107 a night — just €6 less than the average room price in Rome. The latest hotels.com hotel price index reveals the cost per night in the Kerry town in the first six
months of this year was 5% higher than in the corresponding period in 2012. Nationally, the average price increased by 2% to €92. In Cork, it rose by 4% to €86 and in Dublin the increase was 2% to €93. For most parts of the country though, the average price actually
fell. For example, there was a 2% drop in Galway to €97 and in Kilkenny the fall was 4% to €93. An improved euro/sterling exchange rate contributed to a 4% fall in the cost of a Belfast hotel room which had an average price of €84. The cheapest hotel destination on the index remained Limerick where the average price was €67. The sur-
vey said a traditional oversupply of hotel rooms in Limerick had kept prices low. The survey suggested Ireland remained one of the best value destinations in Europe for eurozone travellers as it was less expensive than the Netherlands (€110), Italy (€113), Germany (€94), Spain (€92) and France (€97).
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