A 64-year-old man from County Mayo has been sentenced to two years imprisonment, with the final nine months suspended, following his conviction for aggravated sexual assault at the Central Criminal Court. The man pleaded guilty to attacking his then partner at their home on 14 December 2018 after returning drunk from a nearby hotel. The assault involved physical violence and sexual contact without consent. The victim sustained abrasions, bruises, and hair loss during the incident. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman stated the assault resulted from alcohol abuse and expressed forgiveness towards the accused. Justice Michael White acknowledged the victim as exceptionally compassionate and described the accused as a "kind, clever and good man" who had been "destroyed" by alcohol. The judge cited the guilty plea, full admissions to gardaí, and expressions of remorse as mitigating factors in determining the sentence. The accused has two previous convictions for drink driving.
In a Dublin burglary, Ibrahim Elghynaoui (28) broke into a sleeping woman's bedroom through a window and sexually assaulted her while she fought back. The victim described being strangled, forced into sexual contact, and physically attacked before escaping. Elghynaoui denied the assault but admitted burglary. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary. The judge imposed a ten‑year sentence for the sexual assault and seven and a half years for the burglary, with all sentences running concurrently. The victim, who suffered lasting physical and psychological harm, testified that the crime left her in a state of hyper‑vigilance and ongoing trauma. The case highlighted the severe impact of the assault on her life and relationships. The judge noted the defendant's high culpability and the lack of remorse. The sentencing reflected the seriousness of the offenses and the victim's suffering. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
The Court of Appeal upheld a 12‑year headline sentence for a 52‑year‑old man convicted of 22 counts of sexual abuse, oral rape, child sexual exploitation and attempted rape against his daughter aged 13‑15. The appeal court found no error in the sentencing judge's decision that attempted penetration of the vagina was more serious than oral rape, and rejected the defence's argument that the man had stopped the attempt when the victim screamed. The court also dismissed claims that the trial judge had not given enough credit for the man's alleged stopping of the attempt, and rejected a suggestion that a letter of apology for physical abuse should have been considered mitigating. The 12‑year sentence, with a six‑month suspended portion, was confirmed as within the range of penalties available for the circumstances of ongoing offending, familial violence and the man's taunts after the attempt. The appeal was lost, and the sentence remains in force.
An unnamed 32-year-old woman, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, has appealed the severity of her sentence following a conviction for sexual assault and child cruelty. The appellant was convicted by a Circuit Criminal Court jury of ten counts of sexual assault under section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act 1990 and one count of child cruelty. The offences, which occurred between September 2011 and September 2013, involved the abuse of her step-son, who was four years old at the time. The trial heard that the appellant, who was male at birth and later transitioned, acted as a step-father and subjected the boy to physical and sexual abuse, including threats to break his limbs. On December 9, 2019, the sentencing judge imposed a term of six years and six months imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. In the Court of Appeal, counsel Roderick O'Hanlon SC argued that the sentencing judge failed to adequately consider the difficulties the appellant would face in a women's prison due to her transgender status. He further contended that a greater portion of the sentence should have been suspended to facilitate rehabilitation. The appeal was heard by President Mr Justice George Birmingham, sitting with Ms Justice Aileen Donnelly and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy. The court reserved its judgment on the sentence appeal, meaning the matter was adjourned and not concluded.
A 59‑year‑old man from Tipperary was sentenced to 18 years in prison for a series of sexual offences against children, including the rape of a six‑month‑old infant and the sexual abuse of four older girls. The offences, which occurred over seven months up to August 2019, involved the man secretly recording the children while they used a bathroom and filming the infant while he performed oral sex on her. He pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape, one count of attempted oral rape, five counts of sexual assault of the infant, five counts of child pornography production involving the infant and the older children, and four counts of possession of child pornography. The judge imposed a suspended two‑year portion of the sentence, ordered six years of post‑release supervision, and required the defendant to complete sex‑offender treatment programmes and to keep children under 18 out of his care.
In a High Court hearing, Mr Justice Michael White described a young girl, aged eight or nine when assaulted, as an exceptional child who endured a traumatic rape by her teenage cousin yet still loved him. The judge praised her humanity and expressed hope for her healing. The defendant, now 16, pleaded guilty to raping and sexually assaulting his cousin between December 2017 and May 2019, when he was 13 and 14. He also pleaded guilty to forcing a child to watch sexual activity. Justice White noted aggravating factors such as the use of pornography to groom the victim and the breach of trust, but also mitigating factors including the defendant's engagement with a national treatment programme and parental support.
In 2019, an 86‑year‑old retired doctor was convicted at the Circuit Criminal Court of 12 counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault, all committed during medical examinations from 1971 onward. He was sentenced to four years for one indecent assault count and 18 months for the remaining counts, with all sentences concurrent. The judge had originally suggested that the fact there were seven independent complainants was "compelling" evidence, a point the doctor's lawyers challenged in an appeal. The Court of Appeal rejected 17 grounds of appeal, including arguments that the trial judge should have ended the trial when evidence emerged that the doctor had been struck off the medical register, a civil action had been settled, and an earlier criminal trial had occurred. The court found no substance in these claims and upheld the conviction and sentence. The doctor's lawyers subsequently filed a notice of abandonment, withdrawing the appeal against the sentence. The unnamed 86-year-old pleaded not guilty.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 24‑year‑old Muslim woman testified that she was sexually assaulted by Mujahed Omer, a 57‑year‑old father of four who was highly regarded in his community. The victim described how Omer lured her into a bathroom under the pretext of removing fittings, then used a toothbrush, acid, and cream to assault her. She reported the incident to Gardaí, her family, and later to a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. Judge Pauline Codd praised the victim's courage and stated that any blame or shame lay solely with the perpetrator. Omer, who had no prior convictions, was convicted by a jury and sentenced to four years' imprisonment. The judge noted his continued denial of guilt and lack of remorse. The case highlighted the victim's loss of trust in her community and her avoidance of her local mosque. Mujahed Omer pleaded not guilty.
A 67‑year‑old man, described as a "man of some standing" in his community, lost an appeal against a 2017 conviction for repeated rape and sexual assault of a friend's daughter aged 12 to 14 between 1991 and 1992. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no unfairness in the trial judge's rulings, including the allowance of a majority verdict and late changes to the indictment dates. The jury had convicted the man on six counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of oral rape and one count of attempted oral rape, while he was acquitted of 16 other counts. Sentencing, delivered by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, imposed a nine‑year term with the final 12 months suspended on conditions. The victim, who has suffered ongoing psychological trauma, was not named to protect her identity. The appeal was dismissed by Mr Justice George Birmingham, joined by Mr Justice Brian Murray and Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy.
The Central Criminal Court heard evidence that a 58‑year‑old man from Munster recorded videos of himself orally raping his partner's six‑month‑old niece and produced explicit images of four other children aged five to twelve. The abuse occurred over seven months up to August 2019. An anonymous envelope containing a memory card and a handwritten note was delivered to a Garda station on 14 August 2019, alleging the card held a clip of an infant being sexually abused and urging arrest. Examination of the card revealed 20 three‑minute clips, including footage of the defendant masturbating on the infant and performing oral sex on her. The defendant had pleaded guilty to two counts of oral rape, one attempted rape, five counts of sexual assault of the infant, five counts of child‑pornography production, and four counts of possession of child pornography. He was remanded in custody until 26 February, when sentencing will occur.
A 32-year-old man from Castlefin, County Donegal, has been sentenced to four years imprisonment following his conviction for rape at the Central Criminal Court. The man pleaded guilty to entering an apartment through an unlocked door and sexually assaulting a sleeping woman in October 2016. The woman woke during the assault and the perpetrator fled after a struggle. DNA evidence linked him to the offence. Mr Justice Alex Owens noted the man's significant intellectual impairment in sentencing, reducing the headline sentence from ten years to four years. The judge rejected the defendant's claims that he believed the woman was engaged in sex work, describing such assertions as demonstrating lack of remorse. A post-release supervision period of four years was also imposed. The victim provided a statement describing lasting psychological impact and altered behaviour in her own home.
The Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction of an unnamed 44-year-old man who was found guilty of sexually abusing his step-daughter. The appellant, who cannot be named to protect the victim's identity, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment in January 2019 following a Central Criminal Court trial. A jury found him guilty of 13 counts of rape, three counts of defilement, and one count of sexual exploitation of a child, relating to abuse alleged to have occurred between 2010 and 2017. In his appeal, counsel Donal Colgan SC argued that a voluntary interview given to gardai should not have been admitted, claiming the appellant had poor English and did not understand the role of a solicitor. He also challenged the admission of a statement from the appellant's wife. However, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, delivering the judgment for the three-judge panel, rejected these arguments. He noted that the appellant had the benefit of an interpreter, was informed of his right to leave and to legal representation, and that the gardai behaved in an exemplary manner. The court also found that the trial judge correctly exercised discretion in allowing the wife's statement to be read to the jury. The appeal was dismissed, and the original conviction and sentence stand.
John Gossan, 40, of Castlegrange Hill, Swords, pleaded guilty to sexual assault at Wright's Cafe Bar, Malahide Road, Swords, on 22 February 2019. The court found he was in a drunken state when he grabbed a young woman's breasts and nether area over her clothes. Judge Martin Nolan described the act as shameful and frightening, noting it was a short encounter with no aggravating factors. Gossan received a fully suspended sentence of one year imprisonment, with strict conditions to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for one year. He was ordered to hand over €2,000 to the prosecuting Garda, which may be given to charity if the victim declines. Gossan has a prior 2010 drug‑dealing conviction for which he served four years. The sentencing took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The 52‑year‑old father was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of 22 counts of sexual abuse, oral rape, child sexual exploitation and attempted rape between October 2009 and July 2011, when his daughter was aged 13 to 15. He denied sexual abuse but admitted physical abuse, especially towards the mother. On 14 January 2019 he was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended. He appealed, arguing the case was exceptional because the daughter claimed no visible implants in his penis, while he had implants. The Court of Appeal found the daughter could not have noticed the difference. His barrister argued the 12‑year sentence for attempted vaginal rape was excessive compared with the ten‑year sentence for oral rape, citing the lack of penetration and his apology to the family. The appeal was dismissed, and the sentence was upheld. The father has not expressed remorse.
A 31‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for raping his brother and sexually abusing his sister while he was a teenager. He pleaded guilty to anal and oral rape of his brother between January 2007 and January 2008, and to five counts of sexual assault and one attempted assault of his sister between April 2004 and January 2007. The offences occurred in the family home and were revealed in 2018 when the brother disclosed the abuse and the sister followed suit. The judge noted the serious, long‑lasting effects on both victims and considered the man's young age, lack of appreciation of harm, and difficult upbringing as mitigating factors. He also recognised the man's remorse, admissions, and guilty pleas, and ordered three years of post‑release supervision. The victims' statements detailed psychological damage, relationship difficulties, post‑traumatic stress, and suicidal thoughts.
A 38‑year‑old man was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for repeatedly raping his daughters after re‑entering their lives following a long absence. He pleaded guilty to 14 counts of raping his younger daughter between May 2017 and May 2019 and to one count of sexually assaulting his older daughter in April or May 2019. The court heard the father and mother were regularly drunk, neglecting the children, and that the abuse began when the younger girl was 12. The father threatened suicide if the abuse was disclosed and had previously been physically and sexually abused as a child. He was found to be an alcoholic and drug addict for many years. The judge imposed 12 years' imprisonment, suspended the final two years on strict conditions, and ordered seven years of post‑release supervision.
John McClean, aged 76, a former teacher and rugby coach at Dublin's Terenure College, pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 male students committed between 1973 and 1990. The allegations surfaced in 1996 when a victim's father informed Father Robert Kelly, the then Provincial of the Carmelite Order, about the abuse. McClean admitted the allegations during a meeting with Fr Kelly, who later claimed he had no recollection but accepted the notes as true. McClean had left Terenure College in 1996, taking a rugby coaching role at UCD. The court heard that victims were sometimes excluded from the school rugby team as punishment for confronting McClean. McClean denied the offences during Gardaí interviews, but ultimately pleaded guilty in November 2020. Judge Pauline Codd remanded him on bail, with the case to be finalized on 18 February. The hearing focused on the admission of abuse, the victims' impact statements, and the procedural history of the case.
In a Central Criminal Court case in Cork, a 27‑year‑old man was convicted of raping a 17‑year‑old girl who was described as "semi‑comatose" after a night out. The court heard that the accused had searched the internet for information on rape before Gardaí arrived. He was found guilty by a jury on 27 August 2017 and sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, with a four‑year post‑release supervision order. The judge noted the victim's condition, the accused's attempts to conceal the act, and the substantial harm caused. The victim's impact statement described feelings of vulnerability, shame and family disruption. The accused's defence highlighted his prior good character and work history, while the prosecution emphasised the lack of consent and the victim's intoxication level. The case concluded with the judge's sentencing decision.
Bernard Browne, aged 62, was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment for repeatedly sexually abusing boys at the CBS school on Richmond Street and later at his flat on Belvedere Place between 1983 and 1990. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of indecent assault, part of a larger indictment of 44 charges. Browne lured boys with promises of pocket money, claiming he was collecting sperm to donate to childless couples. Victims, aged 11 to 17, described weekly molestation, forced exposure, and intimidation. The judge noted severe emotional distress, long‑term psychological damage, and the impact on the victims' education. Browne's position of trust, the duration of the abuse, and his planning were aggravating factors; his guilty pleas, remorse, age and ill health were mitigating. The final year of the sentence was suspended on the condition of completing treatment programmes while in custody.
John McClean, aged 76, a former rugby coach and teacher at Terenure College, pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 male students between 1973 and 1990. The court heard that McClean abused boys during costume fittings for school plays, after disciplinary incidents, and in his office, using rulers and sexual conduct. Victims ranged from about 12 to 16 years old. McClean offered them a choice between being hit or having their parents informed of misbehaviour. He also threatened to withhold rugby team selection as punishment. The first complaint to Gardaí was made in 2016; McClean left the school in 1996 following allegations and later coached rugby at UCD. The sentencing hearing continues before Judge Pauline Codd.
John McClean, a former rugby coach and teacher at Terenure College, was found guilty of 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 boys between 1973 and 1990. The court heard that McClean abused boys during costume fittings for school plays, in his office after class, and while coaching rugby. Victims ranged from 12 to 17 years old. McClean's abuse included physical assault, fondling, and sexual touching, often while he was in a position of authority. He left the school in 1996 after allegations surfaced and later worked as a rugby coach at UCD. The sentencing hearing considered evidence of 15 of the 23 victims, with further charges under consideration. The hearing will continue tomorrow before Judge Pauline Codd.
The sentencing hearing for former Terenure College rugby coach and teacher John McClean, aged 75, began at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 10 February 2021. McClean, who pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault against 23 boys between 1973 and 1990, is remanded on bail. The hearing will span two days, with the possibility of extending into Friday, and will include victim impact statements from some of the adult complainants. The case involves three separate books of evidence.
In a 2021 sentencing, a 63‑year‑old man was jailed for 16 years for repeatedly raping and abusing his daughters over a 16‑year period. The younger daughter, now 34, was raped from age seven until 18, and became pregnant by her father at 17. The older daughter was raped from age nine until 16, and was also raped while pregnant. The court heard that social welfare was notified in 2004 but only intervened after the younger daughter reported to Gardaí in 2015. The judge noted missed opportunities by state agencies and described the abuse as violent, neglectful and cruel. The father pleaded guilty to 105 charges, including rape, oral rape and sexual assault. The sentence was reduced from a headline life term to 16 years due to guilty pleas and remorse. The daughters' victim impact statements highlighted ongoing trauma and the lack of basic rights during their upbringing.
In 2015 a 16‑year‑old filmed a 12‑year‑old girl performing oral sex on him while friends photographed the act. He later threatened to send the footage to the girl's sport club if she refused to perform oral sex on a younger friend. The teenager pleaded guilty in June 2019 to two counts of defilement of a child under 15 and was sentenced to four years in prison. A Court of Appeal report noted he denied responsibility, claimed the victim consented, and engaged in a "victim blaming narrative." The appeal was dismissed; the judge upheld a headline sentence of eight years, applying a 50 % discount for his guilty plea and young age. The case involved the victim's distress and the threat to expose the footage to her sporting club. The court did not alter the sentence or add further penalties.
A 37‑year‑old man, whose identity is withheld to protect the victim, was convicted of one count of rape and two additional rape charges that were not upheld. He had previously been tried twice, with the first jury deadlocked and the second verdict overturned by the Court of Appeal. In his third trial at the Central Criminal Court in February 2019, the jury found him guilty of the single rape charge. He was sentenced on 9 May 2019 to twelve years' imprisonment, with six years of post‑release supervision. The Court of Appeal rejected his appeal, ruling that the trial judge had correctly warned the jury that evidence of the victim's distress could be strong corroboration of a rape claim. The case involved an assault that began with physical and verbal abuse, followed by the victim's escape after a fire alarm was triggered.
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by David O'Brien, a former scout leader, against the severity of his sentence. In 2018, O'Brien was convicted of indecent assault on four boys and sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with 16 months suspended on condition of Probation Service supervision. This followed a 2015 conviction for abusing six other boys, resulting in a combined total of 14 years' imprisonment with three years suspended. O'Brien's counsel argued that the cumulative sentence was excessive given the offences occurred in the same period and that O'Brien had previously admitted to abusing 30 to 40 boys. However, the three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice Edwards, found no error in principle, noting that the sentencing judge had conscientiously considered the aggravating factor of a serious breach of trust by a person in authority. The court stated that a net sentence of 11 years could easily have been justified. During the hearing, O'Brien called on gardai to identify his remaining victims so he could address them under the Criminal Justice Act, though the court noted this was not a matter for the appeal. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original 2018 sentence intact.
In a Dublin apartment on 17 July 2019, a 28‑year‑old Moroccan national, Ibrahim Elghynaoui, broke in and sexually assaulted a woman who had just awakened. The woman described being strangled, having his hand forced into her vagina, and fighting back by striking his eyes, groin and biting him. She escaped through a bedroom window, and Elghynaoui fled. He admitted burglary but denied assault. He was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary, and has been in custody since 18 July 2019. Sentencing was adjourned to 1 March 2021 to allow a psychiatric report and to determine his EU status. The victim's impact statement detailed ongoing hyper‑vigilance, PTSD, and the lasting physical and emotional harm she endured. The trial highlighted the traumatic nature of the assault and the victim's struggle to recover. Ibrahim Elghynaoui pleaded not guilty.
In 2014 a 47‑year‑old man was convicted of eight sexual assault offences, including three oral rapes and one rape, against his partner's daughter aged six at the start of the abuse. He received a 12‑year prison sentence. The case involved uncorroborated evidence, such as text messages sent while he was in hospital after a paracetamol overdose, which he later denied. The victim, who was 17 at trial, had previously reported abuse to Gardaí with her grandmother in 2003 but withdrew the complaint. She later wrote a letter to a social worker in 2008 detailing escalating abuse that culminated in rape. At the appeal hearing, counsel argued that the trial judge's warning to the jury about the dangers of convicting on uncorroborated evidence was insufficient and that the jury may have been misled. The appeal remains pending.
In a case heard in Dublin, Gerard Gunnery Senior, aged 60, was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting a passenger who had fallen asleep in his taxi. The victim, who was drunk and later described the assault as a "devastating" breach of trust, reported that Gunnery had placed his hand on her knee, masturbated, and then violently threw her out of the vehicle, leaving her on the side of the road. She suffered bruising to her elbows, kneecaps and jaw. Gunnery pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual assault, which had been brought in December 2017. The judge noted his age, health and previous good character, but also that he was now a registered sex offender and that incarceration was unavoidable. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the offence and the impact on the victim.
Bernard Maguire, aged 29, was sentenced to a one‑year jail term for orally raping his younger half‑sister, Bethany Maguire, when she was six to seven and he was fifteen to sixteen. The offences occurred between September 2006 and September 2008 at their father's home. Maguire pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court. The court noted the serious nature of the offence, the breach of trust by an older sibling, and the age gap as aggravating factors, while also considering Maguire's immediate admissions, remorse, and youth at the time. The judge imposed a two‑year sentence with the final year suspended, subject to conditions including participation in the Better Lives program. Bethany waived her right to anonymity, allowing the parties' names to be published. The case was heard under the Children Act, with the victim's impact statement highlighting lasting trauma and fear of her brother. The sentence reflects the court's assessment of the offence's gravity and the defendant's circumstances.
During the sentencing of a 16‑year‑old who admitted raping his cousin between December 2017 and May 2019, the victim's father spoke about the chronic lack of government funding for the CARI foundation, which supports victims of child sexual abuse. He said the foundation's long waiting list meant his daughter had to wait 15 months for an appointment. The father described the abuse, noting the boy had shown her adult pornography and forced her into sexual acts, and that she suffered panic attacks. He thanked Gardaí and the foundation for their support, but criticised the government for not providing more assistance. The father also reflected on the erosion of his daughter's confidence and the emotional impact on his family. The sentencing was adjourned to February 23. The unnamed girl pleaded guilty.
The 52‑year‑old man, already serving sentences for raping five children, was sentenced to an additional eight years' imprisonment for raping and sexually abusing his younger sister. The new sentence runs consecutively to his existing terms, which are set to end in 2034. Justice Michael White described the offences as brutal and terrifying rapes, noting that most occurred when the defendant was over 18. He pleaded guilty to five counts of rape and five counts of indecent assault, including anal rape, at various locations near the family home between 1983 and 1990. The court heard the victim's impact statement, detailing repeated abuse from the age of ten and the lasting trauma.
A 48‑year‑old Munster man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment for raping his younger sister in their family home in County Limerick between September and November 1989. He pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence, claiming the allegation is part of a conspiracy against him. The victim, aged about eight at the time, testified that the offence occurred while the accused was alone with her in the house, that he brought her to his bedroom, lifted her skirt and raped her, and that she later noticed blood. She disclosed the crime to Gardaí in 2017. The court noted the offence was a single event committed by a minor, that the accused had no prior convictions, and that the offence had a lifelong effect on the victim.
The sentencing of a 25‑year‑old man convicted of raping his best friend's sister while she slept has been postponed due to Covid‑19 travel concerns. The conviction, obtained last September at the Central Criminal Court in Cork, followed a trial where the defendant pleaded not guilty to a single rape charge at a place in Co Kerry on 10 June 2018. The sentence hearing was scheduled for today before Justice Mary Rose Gearty in the Criminal Courts of Justice building in Dublin. Prosecutor Vincent Heneghan informed the judge that the complainant, aged about 20, wished to attend but was uneasy about travelling during the pandemic lockdown. He requested an adjournment, which the defence accepted. The judge set the new hearing for 25 March.
The Central Criminal Court sentenced a man to eight years in prison for the repeated rape of a girl between 2009 and 2011. The appellant, who pleaded guilty to rape, oral rape, and rape with a tampon, as well as six further similar counts, was convicted of these offences. Mr Justice Michael White described the attacks as shocking and premeditated, noting the man abused the trust of the victim's mother to gain access to the child. The sentence consists of concurrent nine-year terms for each offence, which will run consecutive to the 15-year term the man is currently serving for the rape of another child. The final year of the new sentence was suspended on the condition that the man makes himself available for assessment for the 'Better Lives' sex offenders programme. The court noted the absence of genuine remorse, despite the guilty plea saving the victim the trauma of testifying. The man had previously been convicted in 2017 of possessing child pornography found on a computer seized during a 2012 search. While the victim has requested the publication of the man's name, a Court of Appeal ruling prevents this without a specific court order. The matter was finalised with the imposition of this custodial sentence.
In a 2021 Court of Appeal decision, a 36‑year‑old man convicted of serial sexual assaults in Clondalkin was denied an appeal. The judge upheld convictions for false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault causing harm across three attacks in 2011, 2015 and 2016. The final assault involved a knife and resulted in a victim's hand injury requiring surgery. DNA evidence linked the suspect to all victims, and items such as duct tape and cable ties were found in his van and at the crime scenes. He received a 18‑year‑six‑month sentence, described by the sentencing judge as "brutal and primal" and "premeditated." The appeal was dismissed on all grounds, including alleged breaches of custody regulations and unlawful detention, with the court finding no prejudice or illegality. The defendant will serve a nine‑year supervision period after release.
Kevin Brazil, aged 51, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old boy in 2002. The boy was lured into Brazil's flat with the promise of high‑end electronic gadgets and was psychologically coerced into further sexual acts. Brazil had been questioned by Gardaí at Rathmines Garda Station in 2002 and had admitted to the abuse, yet the file was inexplicably not forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In July 2020 Brazil pleaded guilty to six counts of child sexual assault and received a fully suspended three‑year sentence. In January 2021 the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Justice Michael White, imposed a five‑year sentence, reduced to two and a half years, taking into account the delay in prosecution, Brazil's cooperation and guilty plea. The victim reported lasting anxiety and depression as a result of the abuse.
In 2019 a 16‑year‑old pleaded guilty to two counts of defilement of a child under 15 after filming a 12‑year‑old girl performing oral sex on him while friends photographed the act. He threatened to send the footage to the victim's sport club if she refused to perform oral sex on one of his friends. He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Michael White, who described the offence as cruel and warned that the defendant had downplayed it to probation officers. The appellant appealed, arguing that his young age and lack of prior convictions should mitigate the sentence. The Court of Appeal, hearing Mr Bowman SC, noted the offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment but reserved judgment. The case details the victim's distress and the defendant's threats to expose the footage. The appeal remains unresolved.
A man convicted of sexually abusing a child in County Mayo during the summer of 1978 has had his prison sentence reduced on appeal. The Court of Appeal found that the trial judge erred in principle by failing to apply any mitigating factors when sentencing. The man was found guilty by majority verdict in October 2018 of five counts of indecent assault and was initially sentenced to eight years and nine months, with one year and nine months suspended. The appellate court determined that the defendant's age at the time of the offences, his clean record over the subsequent forty years, and the significant delay before prosecution constituted relevant mitigating circumstances that should have been considered. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with the Court of Appeal President and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, re-sentenced the appellant to eight years and nine months with the final two years and nine months suspended, increasing the non-custodial portion of the original sentence.
A 29‑year‑old Wexford man was remanded on bail pending sentencing for pleading guilty to two counts of orally raping his younger half‑sister between September 2006 and September 2008. The offences occurred when the victim was aged six to seven and the accused was aged fifteen to sixteen. He blindfolded her and forced her mouth to hold his penis during a game, and on another occasion he told her to close her eyes before the act. The case was brought to court in 2018 when the victim, now 20, reported the abuse to Gardaí. The judge adjourned the case to allow time for sentencing considerations, noting the accused was a child at the time of the offences but is now an adult. The man remains on continuing bail until the hearing on 28 January. The victim delivered a powerful impact statement describing lasting trauma and fear of her brother.
During a Court of Appeal hearing, Ms Pauline Walley SC expressed grave concerns about the six‑day cross‑examination of a 12‑year‑old boy who had been repeatedly raped by his father. She noted that the child became exhausted, agitated and at times zoned out, and that the defence counsel spent two hours reviewing photo albums and a map with the boy, raising questions that were not substantive. Ms Walley argued that such prolonged questioning was unfair to a child, citing a psychiatric report that the boy had communication difficulties. The trial judge, Mr Justice Robert Eagar, had allowed the defence to take its time, while the Court of Appeal President, Mr Justice George Birmingham, emphasised that questioning a child requires adaptation. The case involved special measures under EU directives, with the boy giving evidence via video‑link and an intermediary assisting him.
Kevin Brazil, 51, was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12‑year‑old boy in 2002. He lured the child to his flat with promises of high‑end electronic gadgets, then psychologically tortured him by threatening to expose the incident to the boy's friends if he did not return for further sexual acts. Brazil was first questioned in 2002 and made admissions to Gardaí at Rathmines Garda Station, but the files were never forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In July 2023 he received a fully suspended three‑year prison sentence after pleading guilty to six counts of sexual assault. At the sentencing hearing in January 2024, the victim reported lasting anxiety and depression, and the court noted the delay in prosecution. Judge Michael White ordered a custodial sentence, remanding Brazil for sentencing on 19 January 2024.
The Court of Appeal has criticised the six-day cross-examination of a 12-year-old boy in an appeal against his father's 2016 conviction. The father, a 70-year-old UK national, was convicted of nine counts of raping his son from age six and one count of child cruelty for locking the boy in a box. He received a 15-year sentence, with the final year suspended, and a four-year supervision order. His partner, also from the UK, was convicted of child cruelty but acquitted of sexual assault allegations. The appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, is ongoing. Counsel for the appellant argued that evidence of a video showing consensual sexual acts was prejudicial and irrelevant, while the DPP contended it was probative. The court also addressed the admissibility of the father's previous theft convictions. The boy, who was removed from the family home in 2011, provided a victim impact statement expressing severe trauma. The matter was adjourned and continues tomorrow.
A case currently in appeal involves Paul Gregory (56) of Lucky Brook House, Cronroe, Ashford, Co Wicklow, who admitted to 205 counts of rape and sexual assault of his wife's two sons at his Co Wicklow home. The abuse, which began in 1993 when the victims were under ten years old and continued for a decade, was admitted by Gregory during a guilty plea in 2015. The victims, now adults, had previously waived their statutory anonymity, but a stay on the lifting of the gagging order was imposed to avoid prejudicing other trials. Those trials have since concluded, and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) applied to lift the stay. Gregory has expressed concerns about his safety if his identity is published, and his legal team has raised questions regarding the interpretation of Section 252 of the Children Act. The matter was adjourned pending an application to the Court of Appeal by Gregory, but no such appeal has been made, and the deadline has passed. The court has now lifted the reporting restrictions, allowing Gregory to be named publicly. The case remains in the appeal stage, with no finalised sentence or disposal at this time.
A 38‑year‑old Pakistani man, father of three, was convicted of raping a woman in the back of his car on a beach date. He was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended, after a jury found him guilty of rape but not of sexual assault. He appealed, arguing that the trial judge had allowed a friend of the complainant and a Garda to give evidence of what the complainant had told them the night after the rape, claiming this was hearsay. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds of appeal. The judge noted that the two accounts differed only in detail, not in substance, and that the evidence was sufficient for a guilty verdict. The appeal was rejected, leaving the original conviction and sentence in place. The case was heard in the Central Criminal Court in 2019, with the appeal decided in December 2020. The unnamed 38-year-old pleaded not guilty.
A jury acquitted a 21‑year‑old defendant of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in a derelict building in County Kildare on 14 May 2016. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the alleged assault, pleaded not guilty to counts of sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a child. The complainant testified that they played truth or dare, during which the defendant allegedly dared her to touch his penis and later to let him hug her, during which he reportedly rubbed his penis through her clothes and inserted it into her anus. She reported pain and later sought medical treatment, where a doctor noted lacerations consistent with forced anal penetration. The jury returned not‑guilty verdicts on all three counts, with majority verdicts on sexual assault and anal rape and a unanimous verdict on defilement.
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 21‑year‑old defendant, who was 17 when the alleged offence occurred, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a 14‑year‑old girl. The incident took place in a derelict building in Co. Kildare on 14 May 2016 during a game of truth or dare. The mother of the accused testified that two girls had repeatedly asked her son to play with them, describing them as "adamant" and claiming they had "bad intentions" and "bitterness" in their hearts. She said she had reluctantly allowed her son to go because the girls were insistent. The prosecution presented a doctor's findings of recent lacerations to the complainant's anus, while the defence argued the accused was unaware of the girl's age and that the allegations were false. The trial was set to continue before Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury.
The Court of Appeal heard that Ireland lacks a register of professionals qualified to assist vulnerable witnesses, such as children and people with intellectual disabilities, in court. The Director of Public Prosecutions had to travel to Northern Ireland to find a registered intermediary for a teenage girl who was raped and sexually assaulted by her mother's partner. A barrister for the Law Reform Commission argued that Ireland should have a register similar to Britain's, which includes speech therapists, clinical psychologists, social workers and occupational therapists trained for court work. The DPP used an external intermediary, and the court noted that legislation requiring intermediaries was introduced in 1992 but no register exists. The case involved a girl aged 11 and 12 who was raped between April 2015 and September 2016. She denied that her mother prompted her allegations. The jury found the defendant guilty on all eight counts, and a 13‑year prison sentence was imposed.
During a trial in the Central Criminal Court, a 21‑year‑old defendant, who cannot be named, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, anal rape and defilement of a 14‑year‑old girl. He was alleged to have assaulted the girl in a derelict building in County Kildare on 14 May 2016, when he was 17. In a Garda interview, the defendant initially denied the allegations, but after his father spoke to him in another language, he said that everything the girl had said was true. He later claimed he had hugged the girl and removed his trousers, but denied that his penis entered her. A second interview saw him deny knowing her age, claiming she was 15 or 16. A doctor examined the girl 21–23 hours after the incident and noted lacerations on her anal margin and canal, which were consistent with forced anal penetration but could have other explanations.
An unnamed 67-year-old man, described as having community standing, appealed his conviction for repeatedly raping his friend's daughter when she was aged 12 to 14. The Court of Appeal heard arguments regarding the trial judge's decision to allow the jury to bring majority verdicts after they indicated they had not yet adjudicated on some of the 32 counts. The appellant was found guilty of six counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault, three counts of oral rape, and one count of attempted oral rape, while acquitted of 16 other charges. Ms Justice Kennedy originally sentenced him to nine years, suspending the final 12 months on conditions, noting the deep impact on the victim and the breach of trust. The appellant's counsel argued the jury was denied adequate time for debate on the remaining counts. The prosecution countered that the jury's statement meant they had not reached a final conclusion. The three-judge panel, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, reserved judgment. The matter was adjourned pending the court's decision.