THE JURY IN the trial of six men accused of sexually abusing their deaf relative has returned five guilty verdicts in relation to three defendants.

It brings to seven the number of guilty counts the jury has returned in the course of its deliberations, which reached 11 days today and which are still continuing.

The jury returned verdicts in relation to three men, one uncle of the main complainant and two of her younger brothers.

Her 48-year-old uncle, referred to as Accused B, was today convicted unanimously by the jury of one count of raping his niece. He was also convicted by a majority verdict of one count of anally raping her on dates between September and December 2006.

Earlier this month, the jury returned two guilty verdicts in relation to this same man on two counts of raping the main complainant on two occasions between 2008 and 2014.

Two of the woman’s younger brothers were also convicted of sexually abusing her.

Accused E (33) was convicted of two counts of anally raping her of between 2007 and 2009. These were majority verdicts on both counts, the court heard.

Another brother, Accused F (also 33) was found guilty by majority verdict of one count of raping his sister on dates between 2007 and 2009.

He is still facing another count of raping the main complainant during the same time period.

The jury is continuing its deliberations in relation to 13 further charges pertaining to the defendants. The trial started last October and the jury began deliberating two weeks ago.

The six men on trial, aged between 33 and 55, face a combined total of 20 charges – 16 of which pertain to the main complainant, who is deaf. They are her three uncles and her three younger brothers. All of the men deny any wrongdoing and have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The abuse is alleged to have occurred over a 19-year period between 1995 and 2014. None of the parties can be named for legal reasons.

The trial started with seven defendants facing a combined total of 103 charges, but one of the brothers (aged 34) had all 22 charges against him withdrawn by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) towards the end of the trial. A further 61 charges against the remaining six defendants were also withdrawn by the DPP.

Accused A – the woman’s 55-year-old uncle – is accused of a single count of raping the main complainant on a date between December 2009 and April 2011.

Accused C (35) is accused of 10 counts against his sister. These comprise three of rape, two counts of anal rape and one count of sexual assault, all allegedly committed against the main complainant, between 2003 and 2010.

Accused C is further charged with the sexual abuse of two of his younger sisters. He has denied one count of sexual assault in relation to one sister, Complainant 2, on a date between 2005 and 2006 when she was a child. He is further charged with two counts of raping her on dates between 2015 and 2018.

He has also denied one count of anally raping a third sister, Complainant 3, on a date between 2010 and 2014.

A third uncle, Accused G (46), has denied a single count of raping the main complainant on a date between 1995 and 1996.

The trial continues.