Judge blasts ‘outrageous’ situation as sentenced drugs offender being served in canteen by father who sexually abused him

A judge said today it was completely unacceptable and outrageous that a sentenced drugs offender has been served food in Maghaberry Prison by his father who is serving a custodial sentence in the same prison for sexually abusing his son.

The disclosure was made at Derry Crown Court in Derry when Marc Villa, 24, from Clon Elagh in the city was jailed for thirty months for committing a series of Class A and Class B drugs offences between February 2022 and September 2022.

In his pre-sentence report prepared by a probation officer before he was sentenced today, Villa disclosed that he'd been sexually abused by his father and that based on his evidence his father, Stephen Harrigan, was prosecuted and sentenced.

Villa's barrister Sean Doherty told Judge Neil Rafferty K.C. that Villa waved his right to anonymity in relation to the sexual abuse perpetrated on his client by his client's own father.

Judge Rafferty said the probation report relating to Villa's abuse by his father "is a totally and utterly inadequate reflection of what he suffered at the hands of his father. He was the victim of a series of sexual assaults by his father. His father has been convicted of those and is now in the same prison where this defendant has been on remand and where his father works in the prison kitchen. We have a situation where a victim of sexual abuse as a child is now being served food in the prison kitchen by his abuser. That is totally and utterly unacceptable.

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"I deal with childhood sexual abuse cases on a regular basis. Many victims have adverse childhood experiences and they remain scarred  sometimes for life.", he said.

Speaking to Villa in the dock, Judge Rafferty said "you are stronger than you think you are. The fact that you came forward and pursued the conviction against your father is testimony to the strength you have. You have been in touch with Nexus for counselling and that is the entirely proper thing to do. I urge you to continue with that recovery process. If you take anything away from today take away my respect and that you are stronger than you think you are". 

Villa replied "I want to thank Your Honour for your comments".

Speaking after the sentencing hearing Mr. Doherty said his client Villa "no longer goes into the prison canteen in Magheraberry Prison at meal time for fear he's again served food by his abusive father. Instead he now eats his meals in his prison cell. Because his father works serving meals in the canteen my client has ended up having to eat his meals on his own in his cell".