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. 8884Child cruelty, rape and assault causing harm · Co. Dublin

Garda on trial at Central Criminal Court over child cruelty and rape of wife

A 48-year-old garda has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to charges of child cruelty against his daughters and assault causing harm, and to two counts of raping his wife. The alleged child cruelty against his eldest daughter spans 2007 to 2020, the alleged assault on her occurred in late 2021 or early 2022, and the alleged child cruelty against another daughter spans 2015 to 2024. The allegations came to light through a Tusla referral about a younger child. The trial opened on 30 June 2026 before Justice Seán Gillane with a jury of seven men and five women, and is expected to run for two weeks, with no verdict yet reached.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court30 Jun
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A garda has gone on trial accused of child cruelty of his children and the rape of his wife.
Where
The trial is taking place at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
When
The trial opened on 30 June 2026.
Cause
The prosecution says the rape allegations were made against a background of the accused demanding sex more than his wife was comfortable with.
Charges
  • He is charged with child cruelty against his eldest daughter on an unknown date between 2007 and 2013 and, secondly, between 2013 and 2020.
  • He is alleged to have assaulted his eldest daughter, causing her harm in late 2021 or early 2022, after she turned 18.
  • He is charged with child cruelty against another daughter on an unknown date between 2015 and 2024.
  • He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of raping his wife, on two occasions in June 2009 and November 2021.
  • He has pleaded not guilty to the three counts of child cruelty and the single count of assault causing harm.
In court
  • The jury has seven men and five women, and the trial is before Justice Seán Gillane.
  • The trial is expected to run for two weeks.
Investigation
The allegations came to light through a referral from Tusla regarding a younger child.
Other details
  • The wife told the court that in November 2021 she moved back in with her husband, and that in the weeks that followed he raped her in an upstairs room.
  • The man has a legal entitlement to anonymity.
13 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA garda has gone on trial accused of child cruelty of his children and the rape of his wife. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe trial is taking place at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. (rte.ie)
  • causeThe prosecution says the rape allegations were made against a background of the accused demanding sex more than his wife was comfortable with. (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe is charged with child cruelty against his eldest daughter on an unknown date between 2007 and 2013 and, secondly, between 2013 and 2020. (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe is also alleged to have assaulted his eldest daughter, causing her harm in late 2021 or early 2022, after she turned 18. (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe is charged with child cruelty against another daughter on an unknown date between 2015 and 2024. (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe has pleaded not guilty to two counts of raping his wife, on two occasions in June 2009 and November 2021. (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe has pleaded not guilty to the three counts of child cruelty and the single count of assault causing harm. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe jury has seven men and five women, and the trial is before Justice Seán Gillane. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe trial is expected to run for two weeks. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe man has a legal entitlement to anonymity. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe allegations came to light through a referral from Tusla regarding a younger child. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe wife told the court that in November 2021 she moved back in with her husband, and that in the weeks that followed he raped her in an upstairs room. (rte.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 30 Jun2026
    In courtrte.ie, first report
    Garda goes on trial for child cruelty and rape of wife

    Reports the opening of the trial, the charges and not-guilty pleas, the prosecution's opening account, and the former wife's evidence of incidents from 2007 to 2023.

    accused, 48, malevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, female