Ireland Garda Commissioner admits 1990 rape victim Mary McCarthy not treated properly in Co. Mayo case
Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly met with Mary McCarthy in November 2025 and acknowledged that she was not properly treated as a victim in the original investigation of her alleged rape by a priest in Co. Mayo in 1990. The DPP declined to prosecute the priest in 2006 and again in 2022 despite gardai recommending charges, and the Commissioner's office has refused to provide written acknowledgment of the apology Ms McCarthy says she received.
- Reported
- Arrested
- Charged
- In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports13 statements extracted from the articles
- whatMary McCarthy alleges she was raped twice by a priest in Co. Mayo in 1990 (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe priest pushed her onto a bed and raped her while she was pregnant (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe second incident occurred in Castlebar when she was hitching a lift (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe initial incident is alleged to have occurred in March 1990 (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationIn a 2022 review, gardai recommended charges but the DPP declined to charge the priest (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe Garda who investigated her crime was sued by a woman who claimed he raped her (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe priest was never arrested for questioning before the file was sent to the DPP (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe DPP refused to take her claims to trial in early 2006 (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Garda Commissioner met with Mary McCarthy in November 2025 (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe Commissioner told her she was not treated the way she should have been as a victim (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe priest is understood to still be residing in a Church owned property but is not practicing (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe priest gave her €10,000 cash and told her to use it for counselling (irishmirror.ie)
- otherMs McCarthy was persuaded to take a settlement of €30,000 instead of pursuing a civil case in open court (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 24 Dec2025Garda boss admits woman who accused priest of rape wasn't treated as a victim
Reports the November 2025 meeting between Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly and Mary McCarthy, in which he acknowledged she was not treated properly as a victim in the original 1990 investigation. Details the history of the case including the DPP's 2006 and 2022 refusals to prosecute, the investigating detective's own civil rape suit, and Ms McCarthy's frustration at the lack of written acknowledgment.
victim, Mary McCarthy, female, irish (judged from name)Mary McCarthysuspect, male