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Man who repeatedly raped teenage girl and treated her 'almost like a dog' jailed for seven years

A jury found the man guilty of four counts of rape in 2016 after a trial last month.

A DONEGAL MAN convicted of repeatedly raping a teenage school girl has been jailed for seven years. 

Justice Tara Burns said that the man, now aged 25, treated the woman “almost like a dog” when he raped her in a field. She said he took advantage of her half interest in him and her drunkenness to subject her to vile and despicable attacks.

The victim, now aged in her 20s, told the Central Criminal Court that the attacks changed her from being a happy, trusting girl who enjoyed life to a fearful traumatised adult who struggles with panic attacks.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, denied four counts of rape at two locations in the county on a night in July 2016. After a trial last month a jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on all counts. 

The court heard that the man had met the victim a short time earlier and they had kissed. On the night of the rapes, the victim and her friend planned a camping trip and invited a number of friends but nobody was available to join them.

The man and his friend were contacted and the four met, procured two bottles of vodka and began drinking in a field. They split into pairs and the man and the teenager kissed. 

At one point she fell back and the man got on top of her. She tried to get up and he pushed her back. The victim said no but he didn’t listen and raped her. 

He then turned her over and anally raped her and then repeated these actions again and again, whispering “good girl” to her. The victim was left with bruising all over her body. 

In a victim impact statement the woman told her attacker: “You saw that I was getting drunk, starting to slur my speech. You saw I was more vulnerable. You were able to take control of me”. 

After the attack the woman was falling around drunk and the man brought her back to his house and raped her twice again. She doesn’t remember going back to this house. 

In her statement she said: “You brought me back to violate me all over again. I couldn’t move. I was so drunk and in so much shock that physically I was there but mentally I was gone.” 

She said she experienced shame and fear during a medical examination during which “I cried out in pain”. 

She said that she has been traumatised every single day by the attacks.

Just before Ms Justice Burns was due to pass sentence, his counsel handed in a note from the man in which he said apologised to the woman. Aidan Doyle SC, defending, said his client now accepts the jury verdict on the basis that he was reckless as to whether the woman was consenting. 

Ms Justice Burns said that it was not open to her to interpret the jury verdict as one of recklessness, noting that the woman had told him no and to stop. After the first series of attacks she had walked back to her friend and became upset and told the man to go away when he approached them.

“Despite this and her drunken state he subjected her to another vile attack, treating her almost like a dog to gratify his sexual desire on a drunk girl,” the judge said. 

The judge said she would give him some benefit for the acknowledgement of his guilt and expressions of remorse, despite these coming so late. She reduced an indicated headline sentence of nine years to seven years.

She noted also the mitigating factors of previous good character and the fact that he is a father figure to three young children. The judge also noted the serious effect of the attacks on the victim, and “how broken” she appeared in court. 

Doyle said the man continues to have the support of his family and his partner, with whom he has a young child. He noted there was no use of violence and the man has no previous convictions. 

After a trial last month, a jury of 10 men and two women found him guilty to two counts of anal rape and two counts of vaginal rape. The case was finalised today after an initial sentence hearing on Monday.  

Ms Justice Burns said that it was unfortunate that the defendant acceptance of the jury verdict and his guilt came so late in the day. 

“Up to today he had not expressed any remorse and not accepted the verdict. Since then he has thought of his actions,” she said.

She said it was significant in the context where the victim described the man passing her in her local post office and saying “look, there’s that whore”.

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44 Comments
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    Mute Zack Henderson
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    Feb 28th 2020, 4:56 PM

    7 years for ruining a teenagers life ,He should have gotten life Poor girl

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    Mute Colm Lawlor
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:08 PM

    @Zack Henderson: you can get life for rape. But is never given

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    Mute Seamus Mac
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:18 PM

    @Colm Lawlor: “father figure to three young children” he should be nowhere near anybody’s children.

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    Mute Edmond Mc Grath
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:10 PM

    He should have received absolutely no reduction in his sentence. He only expressed any concern for the victim after the jury did their duty.

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    Mute Gerard McAuliffe
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    Feb 28th 2020, 4:57 PM

    Seven years?!? What a crazy judicial system

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    Mute Shirley Hollingsworth
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    Feb 28th 2020, 8:39 PM

    @Gerard McAuliffe: was hoping I read it wrong.id put a 4 in front.

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    Mute Matt Beaumont
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:01 PM

    And Josh Allen gets 2 1/2 years for selling a bit of weed….the justice system is broken!

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    Mute Danny E
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:07 PM

    @Matt Beaumont: I see in another article a women “spared jail” for cutting down trees belonging to the government.. judicial system is a circus

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    Mute Tony Lyons
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:54 PM

    @Matt Beaumont: he got 15 months

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    Mute Phillip O'Brien
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    Feb 28th 2020, 7:43 PM

    @Matt Beaumont: More than a bit now in fairness.

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    Mute Patricia O'Reilly
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    Feb 29th 2020, 1:36 AM

    @Matt Beaumont: 22000 euro worth of weed is not just a bit of weed, nor was the cocaine in his possession..,

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    Mute john s
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    Feb 29th 2020, 12:46 PM

    @Patricia O’Reilly: that he was caught with.

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    Mute ernest simon
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:12 PM

    How is this even remotely acceptable ? this is not justice !

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    Mute Justice Mickey
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:09 PM

    7 years and will be out in 3 or 4 years for destroying that girls life !!!!.
    I wonder how many years he would have gotten if the girl was related to the judge or a minister.

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    Mute owentighe
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    Feb 28th 2020, 4:57 PM

    I’m surprised I’m allowed to comment on this article. Personally, I’d have him and his like physically castrated. Seven years for ruining a life.

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    Mute John Mc Donagh
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    Feb 28th 2020, 4:59 PM

    @owentighe: Preferably with a blowtorch!

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    Mute Damien Mc Padden
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:05 PM

    @John Mc Donagh: Hungry Pit Bull

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    Mute Raymond Burke
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:34 PM

    He didn’t use any violence?? And yet he pushed her back when she tried to get up

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    Mute Miriam
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:05 PM

    @Raymond Burke: and her entire body was covered in bruises!?!?

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    Mute Jen M
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    Feb 28th 2020, 7:12 PM

    @Raymond Burke: and rape itself is an extremely violent act. What a careless comment and approach by the judge.

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    Mute Jen M
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    Feb 28th 2020, 7:15 PM

    @Jen M: *by the defense

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    Mute Jude
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    Feb 28th 2020, 8:14 PM

    @Raymond Burke: Anal rape must be one of the most excruciating pains anyone can imagine.

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    Mute Mary Mc Carthy
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:13 PM

    Disgraceful sentence . Far too lenient for the degradation and terror he put this child through . If it was my child it wouldn’t be prison he would be going to ….

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    Mute Hans Vos
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    Feb 28th 2020, 9:40 PM

    And then theyv say that he is of good character. If you have a good character you don’t do things like that.

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    Mute SC
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    Feb 29th 2020, 8:14 AM

    @Hans Vos: how insulting to the victim!

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    Mute Paul Mohan
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:42 PM

    Only 7 years her life will never be the same, only in Irish courts that would give a sentence
    Like that, if you were caught driving without a license, and no tax and insurance the sentence would be longer

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    Mute Seosamh Púinse
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:48 PM

    Put him into general population he won’t last 7 hours

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    Mute Paul Mohan
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:42 PM

    Only 7 years her life will never be the same, only in Irish courts that would give a sentence
    Like that, if you were caught driving without a license, and no tax and insurance the sentence would be longer

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    Mute Patrick Lawson
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:35 PM

    Gallows and get proper justice

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    Mute Jude
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:30 PM

    ‘He noted there was no use of violence”. AH, EXCUSE ME??????? Does this judge thing anal and vaginal rape multiple times is not violent. Jesus H Christ.

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    Mute Jude
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    Feb 28th 2020, 5:33 PM

    @Jude: Sorry, that was from the defence not the judge. What an awful attitude this barrister has to rape.

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    Mute Daniel Morrissey
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:23 PM

    Why isn’t the key thrown away??? Ridiculous sentence.

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    Mute Jacqui Curtis-owens
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:24 PM

    He shouldn’t be let near children.. disgusting animal…hope the young woman will one day move on from this.. hope he makes nice friends in prison.. and they give him

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    Mute tom forde
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:32 PM

    7 years,7 f#####g bullets he should have got.
    I hope he gets a good going over in prison.

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    Mute Louise B
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:32 PM

    Surprised comments are open on this

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    Mute Paul Mohan
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:42 PM

    Only 7 years her life will never be the same, only in Irish courts that would give a sentence
    Like that, if you were caught driving without a license, and no tax and insurance the sentence would be longer

    23
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    Mute Berkieahern3
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    Feb 28th 2020, 6:42 PM

    I hope he is be@ten like a dog twice daily every day he is in jail.

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    Mute colm buckley
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    Feb 29th 2020, 2:47 AM

    7 years Is Insulating!
    Here’s what you’d get Illinois for same charge :

    First conviction: Class 1 felony (4-15 years in prison); second conviction: Class X felony (30-60 years or life in prison)

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    Mute Kieran Herron
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    Feb 29th 2020, 8:12 AM

    Another shamful sentance from the irish justice system.

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    Mute Philip Kelly
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    Feb 29th 2020, 12:51 PM

    7 years should have got 70 years

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    Mute john s
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    Feb 29th 2020, 12:45 PM

    Glad he was found guilty but again 2 things courts giving poor sentences for horrendous crimes and more worrying is how the jury ended up being 10 men and 2 women. Women make up more than 50% surely more women should have been on the jury

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    Mute Kevin Lonergan
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    Mar 3rd 2020, 2:25 PM

    @john s: Statistically women are more likely to acquit, even in rape trials, so maybe they were better off with such a balance. Jury selection is so random that it’s virtually impossible to achieve a gender balance.

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    Mute Anthony Christoper Mc Garth
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    Mar 1st 2020, 12:08 PM

    Is that all!!

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    Mute hani ali
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    Jul 3rd 2020, 2:03 AM

    Well .. i think the best penalty here is to jail him forever with hard labour building schools and bridges for Ireland.
    And let the government take absolute care of his children and the victim poor girl forever.

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