Abuse victim Fiona Doyle’s mother held for questioning

THE mother of rape victim Fiona Doyle was yesterday arrested and held for questioning in relation to the abuse of her daughter.

It is understood that Breda O’Brien went voluntarily to Shankill Garda Station in Dublin by arrangement.

When she was presented at the station, she was arrested and questioned for over five hours about her alleged role in the rape and abuse of her daughter.

Her husband Patrick O’Brien has pleaded guilty to a string of sex offences against his daughter and had his sentence tripled by a Court of Appeal earlier this year.

Ms Doyle has always insisted that her mother knew of the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father from the age of three. She wrote to Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan in January asking her to investigate her mother’s role in the abuse.

Within months, she was informed that Breda O’Brien was under investigation for any crimes she may have commit-

Has always insisted her mother knew

ted by ignoring the rapes.

Meanwhile, in April, a pipe bomb was found under a car outside Ms Doyle’s home.

It is understood gardaí suspect Mr Doyle may have been targeted because of his work as a nightclub doorman.

Gardaí said there was no evidence to suggest that the bomb was targeted at Ms Doyle, who has repeatedly spoken out on behalf of abuse victims.

The Defence Forces said a bomb disposal team was deployed to the scene and made it safe without the need for a controlled explosion.

Ms Doyle told the Irish Daily Mail at the time that her husband Jim miraculously escaped injury after he drove over the bomb when he returned from dropping their eight-year-old son to school.

She said she felt very lucky that no harm came to her or her family.