Saturday 31 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 20614Sexual assault

Survivor urges victims to speak out a year after uncle's conviction

Anita Byrne, a woman, was sexually abused on several occasions in 1992 by her uncle Paul Farrell, a man, beginning before her grandfather's funeral, and was threatened to stay silent. Decades later she confronted him and reported the crime to gardaí. Farrell was found guilty of one count of sexual assault and 10 sample counts, and the conviction came one year before the June 2023 article. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. On the anniversary of the verdict, Byrne appealed to other victims to tell the truth about their experiences.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced21 Jun
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Anita Byrne was sexually abused by her uncle Paul Farrell in 1992.
  • The abuse continued over several months on several occasions.
  • Anita Byrne was threatened to keep silent about the abuse.
When
The abuse began in 1992, before her grandfather's funeral.
Other details
  • Her abuser told her to tell people she was upset because of the family bereavement.
  • Anita Byrne waived her right to anonymity to identify her uncle.
  • Anita Byrne is appealing to other victims to tell the truth about their experiences.
Investigation
Decades later, she confronted her abuser and then reported the crime to gardaí.
In court
  • Paul Farrell was found guilty of one count of sexual assault and 10 sample counts of sexual assault.
  • Farrell was convicted of sexual assault one year before the June 2023 article was published.
Sentence
Farrell was sentenced to two years' imprisonment.
8 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatAnita Byrne was sexually abused by her uncle Paul Farrell in 1992. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe abuse continued over several months and she was threatened to keep silent. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe abuse began in 1992, before her grandfather's funeral. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationDecades later, she confronted her abuser and then reported the crime to gardaí. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtPaul Farrell was found guilty of one count of sexual assault and 10 sample counts of sexual assault. (dublinlive.ie)
  • courtFarrell was convicted of sexual assault one year before the article was published. (dublinlive.ie)
  • sentenceFarrell was sentenced to two years' imprisonment. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherAnita Byrne is appealing to other victims to tell the truth about their experiences. (dublinlive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 21 Jun2023
    Sentenceddublinlive.ie, first report
    Sexual abuse survivor's plea to victims on anniversary of verdict against uncle

    Feature marking one year since the conviction. Adds the survivor's appeal to victims, her account of the abuse and its aftermath, the conviction and sentence details, and the expected release date.

    convicted, Paul Farrell, male, named, irish (judged from name)Paul Farrellvictim, Anita Byrne, female, irish (judged from name)Anita Byrne