Ireland Case No. 7003Rape · Co. Limerick
Limerick man sentenced for raping teenager
Damien Long, a 26-year-old Limerick man, raped a 17-year-old girl in 2018, on a date not given, after she said she did not want to have sex with him, and then locked her in his bedroom. Long pleaded not guilty to rape at the Central Criminal Court and was convicted after a trial earlier this year. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring sentenced him on 12 May 2025, and the sources differ on the term: the key facts give eight years with the final 12 months suspended, while the Irish Times reported seven years in prison.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced12 May
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Damien Long, aged 26, raped a 17-year-old girl after she said she did not want to have sex with him.
- After the rape, Long locked the teenager in his bedroom and went for a drive with a friend.
- Where
- The case concerns a Limerick man, and the court was the Central Criminal Court.
- When
- The rape took place in 2018, on a date that was not given.
- Charges
- Long pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the rape.
- In court
- Long was convicted following a trial earlier this year.
- Sentence
- The headline sentence was nine years, reduced to eight years, with the final 12 months suspended according to the key facts, while the Irish Times reported a sentence of seven years in prison.
- The final 12 months were suspended on conditions including engaging with the Probation Service for 12 months.
- Long was ordered to have no direct or indirect contact with the victim while in custody and for five years after release.
- Other details
- Long had no previous convictions at the time of the rape but now has 24 convictions for drug dealing, road traffic and public order offences.
- The victim does not want to be identified but has no issue with Long being named.
- After the rape, the victim began drinking, fighting with her family and self-harming, and has had 23 hospital admissions due to self-harm.
12 statements extracted from the articles
- whatAfter the rape, Long locked the teenager in his bedroom and went for a drive with a friend. (irishtimes.com)
- courtLong pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to the rape on an unknown date in 2018. (irishtimes.com)
- courtLong was convicted following a trial earlier this year. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceMs Justice Mary Ellen Ring sentenced Long to eight years in prison with the final 12 months suspended. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe headline sentence was nine years, reduced to eight years. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe final 12 months were suspended on conditions including engaging with the Probation Service for 12 months. (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceLong was ordered to have no contact with the victim directly or indirectly while in custody and for five years after release. (irishtimes.com)
- otherLong had no previous convictions at the time of the rape. (irishtimes.com)
- otherLong now has 24 convictions for drug dealing, road traffic and public order offences. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe victim does not want to be identified but has no issue with Long being named. (irishtimes.com)
- otherAfter the rape, the victim began drinking, fighting with her family and self-harming. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe victim has had 23 hospital admissions due to episodes of self-harm. (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 12 May2025Man who raped teenager then locked her in room sentenced to 7 years in prison
Sentencing hearing details including victim impact statement, judge's comments on the degrading language used, and a five-year no-contact order.
victim, 17, femaleconvicted, Damien Long, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Damien Long