A MAN WHO sexually abused two of his then partner’s younger sisters several months apart has been jailed for eight years and nine months.

Stephen Lynch (31) raped his then partner’s teenage sister after she came to see the baby which his then partner had recently given birth.

The Central Criminal Court heard that around two months later, Lynch sexually assaulted another of his then partner’s younger sisters and also attacked this victim’s friend when he tried to prevent the accused man from touching her.

Lynch with an address at Marian Place, Tullamore, Co Offaly, was convicted by a jury following a trial in May 2021 in the Central Criminal Court of one count of rape at his then address of Monksfield, Bealnamulla, Athlone, Co Roscommon, on 17 and 18 October 2015.

He was also convicted by a jury of one count each of sexual assault and assault causing harm at the same address on 18 and 19 December 2015.

Lynch had pleaded not guilty to all of these charges. He has 11 previous convictions, including convictions for assault, threatening and abusive behaviour, intoxication in a public place and no insurance.

Eileen O’Leary SC, prosecuting, told the court that the victims in this case wish to waive their anonymity and want the accused man to be named.

Mr Justice David Keane sentenced Lynch today to eight years and nine months imprisonment for the rape offence, having reduced a sentence of nine years to account for three months the accused man spent in custody previously.

Justice Keane also sentenced Lynch to two years and nine months for both the offence of sexual assault and the offence of assault causing harm. He ordered that all sentences run concurrent to each other for an effective operative sentence of eight years and nine months imprisonment.

Evidence

Sergeant Paul McNally told O’Leary that in October 2015, Lena Maughan (21) attended at the then address of the accused man in order to see the baby which her sister had recently given birth.

Sgt McNally said Ms Maughan’s sister was away from the apartment that night. Ms Maughan had a headache and Lynch gave her two tablets, after which she felt dizzy and like she was drunk.

Lynch brought a mattress into the living room and told her to lie down, also giving her two further tablets. After a few minutes he started taking off her clothes, got on top of her and raped her.

After the incident the victim could not walk properly and her entire body was sore. She did not see Lynch until the following morning, when he told her not to tell anyone, that it was a secret and that she was to “act happy” around people.

The court heard she had never had sex prior to being raped by the accused man.

Sgt McNally said that in December 2015, Romany Maughan (22) and her friend Cody Dunne (22) stayed over at the same address in order to see the baby. After the baby fell asleep, Ms Maughan decided to go to bed.

Lynch came into the bedroom and began pulling at her legs. She told him to leave and he did after Mr Dunne also came in and was asked by her to get into the bed beside her to protect her.

Lynch returned and said he wanted to get into the bed, doing so despite being told not to. He tried to put his hand on her vagina and kiss her on the lips while she was telling him to stop.

After Mr Dunne prevented him from touching Ms Maughan, Lynch jumped over her, put both knees on Mr Dunne’s chest and started choking the victim. Ms Maughan told him to leave or she would call her father and he left the room, telling them both the following morning that it was “their little secret”.

Victim impact statement

In her victim impact statement, which was read before the court by counsel, Lena Maughan said she knows she will never be the same person again over how the accused man hurt her and her family for years.

Ms Maughan said she would wake up every night screaming and would be so afraid to sleep because “all I could see was him in my dreams”. She said that every day and night she kept getting “these horrible flashbacks”.

She said she would always feel like he would get her again and hurt her again. She said that there is still not a day that goes by that she does not think about this.

Ms Maughan said she still feels him on her skin and still feels like “he is watching me waiting to get me”.

In her victim impact statement, which was read before the court by counsel, Romany Maughan said the crime has torn her to pieces. She said has never felt “so isolated and alone”.

Ms Maughan said the crime has left her feeling powerless. She said the doors of her house are always locked when she is alone and she never sleeps in the dark anymore.

In his victim impact statement, which was read before the court by counsel, Mr Dunne said the impacts the accused man has made to his life are “devastating”.

Mr Dunne said he has suffered immensely socially and psychologically. He said he barely sleeps and spends most nights awake.

He said hopes that when this is over he will be able to “reclaim some degree of normality in my life”.