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A SEX OFFENDER who beat his then-girlfriend and tied her up so she couldn’t run away while he talked to her has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Michael O’Brien (47), who served a nine-year sentence for rape, tied the woman up after she soiled herself in terror during the assault and then drove them around in her car so he could talk to her.
O’Brien pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm and false imprisonment at his home on Bloomfield Avenue, Dublin 8 on November 16, 2014.
O’Brien has 14 previous convictions for offences including rape, possession of drugs, begging and failing to notify gardaí of a change of his details under the Sex Offenders Act.
Judge Melanie Greally said there were “particularly degrading circumstances” associated with this offence and noted the victim impact statement detailed adverse effects on the victim, her mental health and the way she lives her life.
She took into account O’Brien’s guilty plea, early admissions and his remorse. She imposed concurrent sentences totalling three and a half years.
Victim impact statement
A victim impact statement completed by the 40-year-old woman was handed into court along with a medical report and photographs of her injuries. The victim had indicated that she did not wish to give evidence in person.
Garda Colleen Doherty told Marie Torrens BL, prosecuting, that O’Brien and the woman had been seeing each other for about four months and that evening she drove to his apartment block where she was going to stay over.
She went to a pub where they had arranged to meet after he finished work. They spent the evening in the pub and spoke about a friend who had recently died before returning to the flat.
O’Brien could not find his keys and became annoyed. They decided to sleep in the car and lay down on the back seat. The woman was later awoken by O’Brien punching her violently and she screamed for help but there was no one around.
The next thing she remembered was being in the front seat, without knowing how she got there, being punched by O’Brien. He put his hands around her throat to stop her screaming.
“Horrified by the bruising and swelling”
The woman was so terrified she defecated in her trousers and O’Brien got off her.
O’Brien tied her up using a lace from one of her shoes. He told her he didn’t want her to run away because he wanted to talk to her. He drove the car out of the city and they eventually ended up in Kildare. The woman pleaded with O’Brien to untie her.
She looked at herself in the mirror while in the car and was horrified by the bruising and swelling.
O’Brien drove down a quiet road and the woman was able to get out to remove her soiled clothes. She changed into fresh clothes she had in the car but was unable to clean herself fully.
He drove them back to a friend’s house where the distressed woman was able to shower.
O’Brien told his friend:
I done this, I am an animal, I deserve anything I get.
Gardaí were alerted and O’Brien was arrested at his home. He made admissions to gardaí about what he had done. He said the woman was “a nice girl who did not deserve this”.
Garda Doherty agreed with Dominic McGinn SC, defending, that O’Brien had told gardaí he had tied her up to stop her running away after the violence while he explained things to her.
She agreed his explanation was that he had been under pressure at work, a friend had recently died and he was not sleeping. He also indicated he had drunk too much.
Mr McGinn said O’Brien wished the woman to know what had happened was not her fault and that he recognised what he did was inexcusable. He said he accepted he was fully to blame and had displayed remorse.
Can’t stand the tagline ‘don’t cook, just eat’. Cooking is being looked down upon when it’s much cheaper, tastier and better for you. People need to be educated about cooking from a young age.
You work hard, you play hard…sometimes you wanna just eat! No guilt necessary!
I love cooking, but I also love justeat.
I really don’t think a website service or a tagline is going to make much difference to lazy unmotivated fatties who can’t be bothered cooking.
Isn’t technology fantastic,if you touch your phone in the right place a pizza will arrive at your front door.
They take 25 percent and dont pay for two months. Takeaway owners are leaving them in large nunbers. This is more rubbish concealed advertising by the journal and a paid poster above.
They take 11%
Just back for mc Sh”t in maynooth. Tried one of those new quarter pounder burgers. Horrific is all I can say. Should have brought it back in,but like most irish people I just said I won’t be coming here again.
Anyone else notice this new thing where eating copious amounts of fast food is seen as “manly” and a thing of respect? It seems to be common in young males, such as college students, etc.
There is nothing manly about eating bacon sandwiches everyday or ordering takeaway food more than once a week. In fact, it’s usually just overweight nerds looking for quick release endorphins.
Not to mention if you indulge in food like this often, you are gluttonous and therefore by default, evil.
Someone get this fella a snickers
Take a bow David – that was a classic
I hate everything and everyone too.
Can I get some green thumbs, please?
Starving
I avoid any place I see their sign tbh
Pig food
You can’t order through here Padraig , you need to download the Just Eat app and search for Pig Food, best of luck .
You’re funny.
As former Just-Eat.ie MD, I am not surprised by these results in Ireland. I left in 2011, but as of May this year I am launching a rival http://www.Marvin.ie which will be fairer to both restaurants and customers. Restaurants will only be charged 7% instead of 12% and consumers can earn FREE meals based on a coffee-shop loyalty reward system. I am here to compete and I would love to show Just-Eat that they are not untouchable.
*Like a coffee shop loyalty reward system
Best of luck!
Hi ciaran
Welcome to the journal
Cianan?
Thy take 12% and pay every 2weeks stil a lot of cash for small corner shops
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