'Energy healer' who 'continues to victim-blame' jailed for sexually assaulting a client

An energy healer, who was found guilty at Longford Circuit Court of sexually assaulting one of his clients, and “continues to victim-blame” despite the guilty verdict, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

David Reilly (50), with a current address of Midlands Prison, Portlaoise, Co Laois, was found guilty of one count of sexual assault and one count of offensive conduct of a sexual nature following a lengthy jury trial in July.

Over the course of three days, he appeared before Longford Circuit Court for the purpose of a sentence hearing, with sentence being passed on the final day of the November sitting.

Detective Garda John Gormally gave evidence of how, in August 2021, the injured party had attended an energy healing session with Mr Reilly, which she said had helped her symptoms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), more commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

She attended another session, accompanied by her daughter, where she said Mr Reilly leant down to whisper in her ear and asked if she’d ever been “taken advantage of” in the past. When the woman confirmed that she had been, Mr Reilly told her that she had some sexual blockages and would need to come back alone.

The woman booked a third appointment and attended Energy Healing Ireland on September 2, 2021, on her own. When giving evidence back in July, she said that, on that occasion, Mr Reilly got her to stare into his eyes and breathe downwards, while repeating the words ‘happiness’ and ‘oh my god’ in her head.

Mr Reilly made her touch him on his bottom and upper thighs, she said. She could feel that he had an erection and his hands were below her belly button, going lower towards her pubic bone. She said Mr Reilly was trying to get her to move her hands upwards and said she felt “dizzy and intimidated and sick”.

When other clients came in the front door, she said Mr Reilly moved her to the sofa and continued to rub her lower stomach, telling her she still had “five blockages”.

She said he later brought her into a “darker, back room” and pulled her arms behind her back. She said the ordeal ended because the receptionist waved through the glass on the door once or twice to gesture that other clients were waiting.

In a victim impact statement read out by Det. Gda Gormally in court, the woman said she has been kept awake late into the night on countless occasions, reliving not only the sexual assault, but also the trial.

“I had to listen to David Reilly and his associates make up the most shocking and horrific lies about me after swearing on the bible that they were speaking the truth,” she said.

"I had to sit there day after day knowing I was being judged by a courtroom full of people and listen in horror to the endless stream of the most outlandish allegations against me.”

She said she had lost sleep before and during the trial due to stress, anxiety, anger, embarrassment and “complete horror at the things that I had to listen to every day in court”.

“David Reilly's actions retraumatised me in terms of abuse that I suffered as a child which I had already dealt with long ago and left in the past,” she said.

“The fact that David Reilly asked me if I was taken advantage of in my past, then used that information as a green light to sexually assault me is something I have found incredibly upsetting and disturbing.”

After the assault, the injured party felt “extremely anxious, shocked, distressed, violated, tearful, hopeless, angry, which only added to the despair that I already felt from being so unwell to begin with”.

Barrister for Mr Reilly, Gerard Groarke BL, submitted a 100-page booklet including almost 80 testimonials, a letter from Mr Reilly himself, and a letter from his partner indicating how difficult it has been for her and their 18-month-old son while he has been in custody.

Of the near 80 character references individually verified by Det. Gda Gormally, twelve of those were read out in court by their authors. Despite those submissions, Judge Kenneth Connolly expressed his concern for the victim of the assault.

He said that, although it was good to see people supporting someone convicted of such serious offences, he was surprised at “the volume of testimonials” provided in favour of Mr Reilly’s character, stating that “normally one or two would suffice” and, should the sentence imposed be appealed, “the Court of Appeal will not overturn it on the basis that Mr Reilly is a nice guy”.

“I’m also aware that there is a possibility of re-traumatisation of the injured party. Some of the testimonials referred to ‘allegations’ against Mr Reilly and I’d like to point out that we’ve passed the point of allegations and now we’re at a stage where he has been convicted,” said Judge Connolly.

“I know the people in court today mean well. Nonetheless, it would have been very nice and appropriate to hear one word of remorse or sympathy towards the victim,” he said, referring in particular to a psychotherapist who had given a character reference but not acknowledged the trauma that the victim had suffered, despite her line of work.

Turning to sentence, he said that the trial was “very difficult” for everyone involved - “most especially the victim”.

“She presented her case before a jury of all of our peers over the course of eight days. They came back with a unanimous verdict of guilty,” he said.

“That means she was a victim of sexual assault at the hands of Mr Reilly and of offensive conduct of a sexual nature. A victim. Not a person who made an allegation. A victim. And it had to be very difficult for her to sit here today and listen to glowing testimonials knowing not one of these people believed her. I want to offer the court’s apologies that she’s had to sit through this again.”

Referencing a remark made by Mr Groarke regarding his previous comments that the evidence in the trial brought him back to the “Victorian era” and that the defence was “farcical” at times, he said he “will not resile from those comments”.

“I did comment and I did use the word ‘farcical’ and I do stand over that,” he said, adding that he had watched the victim “literally squirm in her seat” when it was put to her that she had flirted with Mr Reilly and his receptionist.

He went on to reaffirm that he did find the defence, at times “farcical and Victorian era-esque”, particularly when Mr Reilly’s receptionist, Paul Galvin told the court that the injured party was flirting with him by flicking her hair, crossing her legs, and that she, on one visit, wore a skirt with a slit in it, which showed her leg.

“I ask myself, even if this happened, if any person wears a skirt with a slit down the side of it… so what? It is irrelevant,” he stressed.

A probation report furnished to the court noted that Mr Reilly had claimed “no one wants to listen to him” and that he believes the allegations were of a malicious nature. He showed no remorse or empathy and, while he was assessed at low risk of reoffending, he continued his denial of the offence and “continued victim-blaming”.

Judge Connolly proceeded to impose a two year and three month sentence with the final nine months suspended, meaning Mr Reilly will serve 18 months, backdated to July 31 when he first went into custody.