Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 8790Rape

Father jailed for drugging children and raping daughter's friend

Between June 2024 and July 2025, a 47-year-old man at his home in Leinster gave pills to his daughter and her friends during a sleepover, then raped one of the friends, a 15-year-old girl, during a game of hide and seek in the woods. Gardaí were alerted after the girl returned home and was taken to a sexual assault treatment unit, and they later found child abuse images on his phone. He admitted two counts of raping the girl and one count of sexually assaulting her, and pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to eight sample counts relating to five victims. At sentencing, Mr Justice Sean Gillane imposed a global sentence of 17 years, with the final 18 months suspended for five years, and sentenced the man to 15 years and six months in prison.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced1 Jul
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
The man drugged his daughter and her friends during a sleepover, then raped one of the friends during a game of hide and seek in the woods.
Where
The offences took place at the man's home in Leinster; no county is given.
When
  • The offences occurred between June 2024 and July 2025.
  • The man invited the 15-year-old friend on a sleepover in July 2025 after liaising with her mother.
  • The sentencing report is dated 1 July 2026 in the record, but the page shows a 30 Jul timestamp with the year cut off.
Cause
The man gave the girls pills he said were Motilium; toxicology tests found they were sleeping pills and muscle relaxants.
Investigation
  • Gardaí were alerted after the girl returned home and she was taken to a sexual assault treatment unit.
  • Gardaí found an encrypted vault with 827 child abuse images and 71 videos on the man's phone.
Charges
The man admitted two counts of raping the 15-year-old friend and one count of sexually assaulting her.
In court
The man pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to eight sample counts relating to five victims.
Sentence
  • Mr Justice Sean Gillane imposed a global sentence of 17 years, with the final 18 months suspended for five years on strict conditions including probation supervision.
  • The man was sentenced to 15 years and six months in prison.
Other details
The man has no previous convictions.
12 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA man drugged his daughter and her friends during a sleepover and then raped one of her friends during a game of hide and seek in the woods. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe offences occurred at the man's home in Leinster. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe offences occurred between June 2024 and July 2025. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe man invited the friend on a sleepover in July 2025 after liaising with her mother. (thejournal.ie)
  • causeThe man gave the girls pills he said were Motilium, which toxicology tests found were sleeping pills and muscle relaxants. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationGardaí were alerted after the girl returned home and she was taken to a sexual assault treatment unit. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found an encrypted vault with 827 child abuse images and 71 videos on the man's phone. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeHe admitted two counts of raping his younger daughter's 15-year-old friend and one count of sexually assaulting her. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe man pleaded guilty to eight sample counts at the Central Criminal Court relating to five victims. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed a global sentence of 17 years, with the final 18 months suspended for five years on strict conditions including probation supervision. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceMr Justice Sean Gillane sentenced the 47-year-old man to 15 years and six months in prison. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe man has no previous convictions. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 1 Jul2026
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, first report
    Father who drugged children during sleepover and raped his daughter's friend is jailed

    Sentencing report. Article gives the offences as occurring between June 2024 and July 2025 at a Leinster home, without naming the county.

    convicted, 47, malevictim, 15, female