Mentally ill man sexually assaulted woman (19) at Dublin airport

A 56-year-old Brazilian man has been sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following a sexual assault at Dublin Airport in August 2025. Rogerio Afonso pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 19-year-old woman in Terminal 1, where he followed her, sniffed her hair, and embraced and kissed her despite her requests to stop. The court heard Afonso has bipolar disorder and was not taking prescribed anti-psychotic medication at the time. He arrived in Dublin from Lisbon with no accommodation arranged. The woman, who had been due to travel to Donegal, sought help from airport staff after the incident. Judge Jonathan Dunphy imposed a sentence of twelve months, suspended in full given Afonso's seven months in custody. The judge noted his mental health condition has improved since resuming medication and that he is considered low risk of reoffending if compliant. As a condition of the suspended sentence, Afonso must return to Brazil in his daughter's care. The sentencing was deferred to allow arrangements for his family's attendance at finalisation.