Mum of alleged sex abuse victim ‘tried to block everything out’

The mother of a girl alleged to have been sexually abused by a babysitter revealed she tried to “block everything out” after finding out about the alleged ordeal.

Alan Rourke is currently on trial at Paisley Sheriff Court where he denies sexually assaulting three girls, who can’t be named for legal reasons, over a number of years.

Rourke, of Levernside Avenue, Barrhead, is alleged to have targeted the first youngster in the early nineties.

Court papers allege that, “on various occasions” at an address in Barrhead, he put his hands under her clothes, touched her inappropriately and tried to force her to touch him.

He is accused of abusing his second alleged victim several years later, by placing his hands under her clothes and touching her between the legs.

And, according to court papers, his third alleged victim was targeted at an address in Glasgow in 2011.

At Paisley Sheriff Court, the third girl, who is now a teenager, gave evidence claiming that Rourke abused her while he was babysitting her.

She said he grabbed her hand and placed it inside the pocket of his pyjama trousers, making her touch his penis.

And she said she kept parts of what happened from her mother, explaining: “I never spoke to her about it after the first time.

“I never told her the whole story - I didn’t want to tell her the whole story.”

The girl’s mum also gave evidence, saying she remembered the night her daughter was allegedly abused because Rourke sent her abusive text messages the same evening.

She said she also found him drunk when she saw him after she finished work.

She told the court: “I try and block everything out about that.

“I actually went online at first because I didn’t know what to do.

“She was scared, crying. She wanted to get it out.

“I remember that night and I remember how drunk he was. “He was steaming drunk.” Rourke maintains his innocence and the trial, before Sheriff Seith Ireland, continues.