N. Ireland campaign to free woman
NZPA-Reuter Belfast Women's rights groups in Northern Ireland have launched a campaign to free a 21-year-old woman jailed for stabbing her father to death after suffering several years of sexual abuse by him. The “Free Noreen Winchester” camnaigners say Noreen was provoked into stabbing her father 21 times as he lay in a drunken sleep because he had been forcing her to have sex with him since the age of 11. An Appeal Court last week heard that the incestuous relationship was forced on the daughter by her 37-year-old father who kept her virtual prisoner in the home. The woman’s mother, disgusted by the incest, which was often committed in front of her, left home with her 12 children, but was now in a mental hospital, the court was told.
: The judge turned down the , appeal against the seven i year sentence, but said that : the woman could apply for > a Royal pardon. I The decision has outraged . i women’s rights groups who 1 1 plan to stage a mass demon- ' stration next week and picket the law courts. The 1 • campaign is being supported ' by Roman Catholic and > ] Protestant groups, several ' ;] local politicians and the I > women’s peace movement. ) ; Already there are “Free I i Noreen Winchester” T-shirts . I on the streets, a protest : song about the woman sung ■ by a local punk-rock group. > and graffiti slogans daubed I I on the walls. I The case has focused attention on the crime of incest ■ in Northern Ireland and i social workers have shocked < :>the public by revealing that ! ] the crime is more prevalent ; i j in Northern Ireland than any. < ;) where else in Western i ! Europe. ' I
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Press, 15 April 1978, Page 9
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284N. Ireland campaign to free woman Press, 15 April 1978, Page 9
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