The jury in the Galway trial of a man charged with human trafficking, the organisation of prostitution and coercive control of his partner has been told he lived off her as a “cash cow”.
The 26-year-old man, who can’t be named for legal reasons, is on trial at Galway Circuit Criminal Court charged with human trafficking, the organisation of prostitution and coercive control in various locations within the State on unknown dates between October 1, 2020, and March 23, 2021.
He has pleaded not (NOT) guilty to the charges, which relate to a woman he was in a relationship with.
In her closing speech to the jury today/yesterday (TUES), Patricia McLaughlin SC, prosecuting, said this had been a very difficult case and the jury had heard things that were “seedy”. She said the complainant has “told you her story, warts and all”.
Ms McLaughlin said that the complainant was upfront about her work as an escort and a lap dancer. She was also upfront about enjoying the money she earned, but that she found the work physically and emotionally difficult and disabled her advert on Escort Ireland after being on it for three weeks.
Prosecuting counsel told the jury that the complainant and the accused were in a domestic relationship, and there was a pattern of leaving and coming back together. When the complainant got pregnant, the accused – her then partner – did not use any of his skills to get a job, but instead, lived off her as a “cash cow”, the jury was told.
Ms McLaughlin told the jury that the complainant had no control over her money and would work from 11am until midnight. In relation to the accused obtaining or making a “gain” from prostitution, the prosecution said the accused “absolutely” did make a gain as there was no other money going into his bank account, apart from his family on occasion.
Prosecution counsel said that in the very beginning, the complainant thought she would be able to control how much she worked in Galway, like she had previously done in Dublin, but that was not the case. She said the accused was in control of the money, that he took her to other locations around Ireland and decided when she could have a day off.
Delia Flynn SC, defending the accused, said in her closing statement to the jury that it was their function to make a decision on whether the accused is guilty of the charges before the court. She told jurors “emotions cannot influence you and you cannot make a decision on feeling sorry for someone”.
The jury heard that the accused and the complainant met and got on very well together, and they began to live together before the accused moved abroad for work. When COVID-19 restrictions were introduced, the complainant obtained COVID-19 payments.
Ms Flynn said the complainant was “well aware of her rights and is able to conduct her business”. She said: “Without a doubt, what we have seen of her so far is that she is a resourceful woman.”
Defence counsel told the jury that when the couple returned to Galway, the escort business started again. “There is no evidence to suggest that it was done against her will,” defence counsel said. “Other than the bare allegation, there is no evidence, there is not a singular particular.”
Ms Flynn said the complainant had “come into court and made bare-faced allegations without a single piece of evidence. How can that meet the standard of reasonable doubt?”
Ms Flynn said the text messages between the accused and the complainant were very “warm”, and she highlighted one text in which the complainant told the accused that he could spend €10 on a meal.
She put it to the jury: “If the accused was her pimp, would she be telling him how much he can spend on food?”
She also outlined that the complainant gave evidence that the accused would take cash and go to betting offices in Galway. The defence position is this could not have happened as all betting offices in the country were closed due to Covid restrictions.
The prosecution had not proven the facts beyond a reasonable doubt and that the accused should be acquitted of these charges, defence counsel said.
The trial continues before Judge Brian O’Callaghan and a jury.