A woman allegedly sexually abused as a child by legendary footballer Barry Cable more than 50 years ago has detailed her severe lifelong impact.

February 10, 2023

A woman who claims to have been sexually abused as a child by legendary Australian Rules footballer Barry Cable has detailed severe lifelong impact.

Cable’s accuser says she has a vivid recollection of the mental and physical abuse from more than 50 years ago when the triple Sandover Medal winner was at the height of his playing career.

“My body was the crime scene and I’ll never forget that,” she told the West Australian District Court civil trial while sobbing.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is suing the former North Melbourne player, now 79, for damages over the assaults that allegedly started in the late 1960s when she was about 13.

The court heard the “persistent” abuse left her feeling ashamed and terrified, and triggered suicidal thoughts.

She said it impacted “every facet of her life” including her self-confidence, education and relationships, particularly with men.

It also left her avoiding sexual intimacy as an adult and suffering nightmares and intrusive thoughts, that are often triggered by images of the former All-Australian player.

The court heard she went from being top of her class in primary school to a high school dropout after Cable’s alleged abuse began.

“I was dumb and stupid and going to be a failure anyway,” she said in describing how she felt at the time.

She also developed chronic stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder and continues to seek professional help from a mental health specialist.

“Cable used to say to me no one would ever believe me and I started to believe that I was contaminated and disgusting,” she said.

The court heard the alleged abuse started with sexualised conversations and unwanted touching, before escalating to sexual violence and forceful intercourse.

The abuse caused the then-teen to start binge eating and to her regular incorrect use of laxatives, leading to a lifelong medical condition.

“After any contact with him and even the thought of him coming around … I would be so anxious or sick feeling, like really wanting to vomit, and just want to harm and purge myself,” she said.

The famous player’s assaults allegedly continued even when the woman became an adult and got married, with Cable accused of stalking her and coercing her to have sex on numerous occasions at her home and in hotel rooms.

“He used to mock and humiliate me … and laugh and say no one would be as good as him,” she said.

“I always felt absolutely powerless and like I had no control.

“I felt it didn’t matter what I said, he wouldn’t stop and I would revert to being a 13-year-old child, just conditioned, and it didn’t matter what I said, I felt I could never stop him.”

Cable denies the claims and has not attended court for the hearing, nor has he ever been charged by police.

He has also said in defence documents the pair had consensual sex when his accuser was an adult and that she only visited his home a couple of times.

Judge Mark Herron has said that without further defence evidence he may not accept Cable’s assertions in the statements.

The trial continues on Friday.