Ireland Case No. 13721Assault causing harm · Co. Longford · 7 Aug 2023
Longford man jailed for assault on woman in town park
On 7 August 2023, in the early hours, Michal Godla, a 35-year-old Slovakian man, struck a woman from behind and beat her at the Albert Reynolds Peace Park, locally known as The Mall, in Longford town, and told her he wanted to rape her. Godla was arrested in January 2024 and charged with assault causing harm and with threatening to kill or cause serious harm. In January 2024 he pleaded guilty to the assault charge, and the State withdrew the threat charge. In May 2025 Judge Kenneth Connolly at Longford Circuit Court jailed him for three years and three months, with no part suspended. The latest development reported is that sentence, which was reported on 7 May 2025.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced7 May
4 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Michal Godla, a 35-year-old Slovakian man, was jailed for three years and three months for assaulting a woman in a Longford town park.
- Godla told the woman he wanted to rape her, and the court heard a victim impact statement describing the attack as sustained.
- Cause
- Godla struck the woman from behind while she was walking in the park, then continued to beat her after she pleaded with him.
- Where
- The assault took place at the Albert Reynolds Peace Park, locally known as The Mall, in Longford town.
- When
- The assault happened in the early hours of 7 August 2023.
- Other details
- The woman was taken to Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar, where she was treated for multiple bruises and injuries to her head, face and body, and a CT scan showed a bleed on her brain.
- A medical report said the woman suffered serious psychological trauma and PTSD and was unfit to return to work for at least 18 to 24 months.
- The judge found a complete lack of provocation or context, and mitigating factors included an early guilty plea and no previous relevant convictions, although sources also say Godla has four previous convictions, three for drugs offences and one for a public order offence.
- Godla wrote a letter of apology to the woman and offered €2,000, which she had no interest in accepting.
- Investigation
- Godla was arrested in January 2024 and told gardaí he thought he was being attacked.
- Charges
- Godla was charged with assault causing harm and with threatening to kill or cause serious harm, the latter referring to the threat to rape the woman.
- In court
- In January 2024 Godla pleaded guilty to the assault charge on a full facts basis, and the State withdrew the threat charge. The case was heard at Longford Circuit Court.
- Sentence
- Judge Kenneth Connolly set a headline sentence of four years and eight months, reduced it by 17 months for mitigating factors, and imposed three years and three months with no part suspended.
- The judge declined to suspend any part of the sentence because Godla had not addressed his alcohol and cannabis issues and had stopped counselling.
50 statements extracted from the articles
- whatMichal Godla was jailed for three years and three months for assaulting a woman in a Longford town park. (rte.ie)
- whatGodla struck the woman from behind. (rte.ie)
- whatGodla continued to beat the woman after she pleaded with him. (rte.ie)
- whatGodla told the woman he wanted to rape her. (rte.ie, longfordleader.ie)
- whatThe woman was treated for multiple bruises and injuries to her head, face and body. (rte.ie)
- whatA CT scan on the woman revealed a bleed on her brain. (rte.ie)
- whatA medical report said the woman suffered serious psychological trauma and PTSD and was unfit to return to work for at least 18 to 24 months. (rte.ie)
- whatGodla beat the woman, and she was treated for multiple bruises and injuries to her head, face and body. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatGodla had beaten the woman into submission. (longfordleader.ie)
- whatThe accused subjected a woman to a sustained beating and threatened to rape her while she walked in a town park. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereThe assault happened at the Albert Reynolds Peace Park, locally known as The Mall, in Longford town. (rte.ie)
- whereThe assault took place at the Albert Reynolds Peace Park in Longford town. (longfordleader.ie)
- whereThe attack took place in the Albert Reynolds Peace Park, locally known as The Mall, in Longford town. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereThe assault took place at the Albert Reynolds Peace Park, locally known as The Mall, in Longford town. (longfordleader.ie)
- whenThe incident happened in the early hours of 7 August 2023. (rte.ie)
- whenThe assault happened in the early hours of 7 August 2023. (longfordleader.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred in the early hours of August 7, 2023. (offalyexpress.ie, longfordleader.ie)
- causeThe woman was walking in the park when she was struck from behind by the accused. (longfordleader.ie)
- investigationGodla was arrested in January of the following year and told gardaí he thought he was being attacked. (rte.ie)
- investigationGodla was arrested in January 2024 and told gardaí he thought he was being attacked. (offalyexpress.ie)
- chargeGodla was charged with assault causing harm and with threatening to kill or cause serious harm. (rte.ie)
- chargeGodla pleaded guilty in January to the assault charge, and the state withdrew the threat charge. (longfordleader.ie)
- chargeMichal Godla was charged with assault causing harm and with threatening to kill or cause serious harm to the woman, the latter referring to a threat to rape her. (offalyexpress.ie)
- chargeThe accused was charged with one count of assault causing harm and one count of threatening to kill or cause serious harm. (longfordleader.ie)
- courtGodla pleaded guilty to the assault charge on a full facts basis, and the state withdrew the second charge. (rte.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at Longford Circuit Court. (rte.ie)
- courtIn January of 2024 Godla pleaded guilty to the assault charge, and the State withdrew the threat charge. (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtThe judge set a headline sentence of four years and eight months and reduced it by 17 months for mitigating factors. (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtThe accused pleaded guilty to the assault charge in January and the state withdrew the threat charge. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceJudge Kenneth Connolly set a headline sentence of four years and eight months. (rte.ie)
- sentenceThe judge reduced the sentence by 17 months and imposed three years and three months on Godla. (rte.ie)
- sentenceThe judge declined to suspend any part of the sentence. (rte.ie, longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceMichal Godla was jailed for three years and three months with no portion of the sentence suspended. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of four years and eight months. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceThe judge reduced the sentence by 17 months after noting mitigating factors. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceThe judge declined to suspend any of the sentence because Godla had not addressed his alcohol and cannabis issues. (longfordleader.ie)
- sentenceGodla was sentenced to three years and three months in prison. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceNone of the sentence was suspended because of Godla's failure to address his alcohol and cannabis issues and his stopping counselling. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe headline sentence was reduced by 17 months, giving three years and three months. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherA medical report stated the woman was unfit to return to work for at least 18 to 24 months due to PTSD. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe judge found there was a complete lack of provocation or context in the case. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherMitigating factors included an early plea of guilt and no previous relevant convictions. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherGodla has four previous convictions. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe woman was taken to Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar, where she was treated for multiple bruises and injuries to her head, face and body. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherA medical report said the woman suffered serious psychological trauma and was unfit to return to work for at least 18 to 24 months due to PTSD. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherGodla wrote a letter of apology to the victim and offered €2,000, which the victim had no interest in accepting. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe accused beat the woman repeatedly, knocking her to the ground several times. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe accused told the woman he wanted to rape her. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe woman was taken to Midlands Regional Hospital Mullingar with multiple bruises and injuries to her head, face and body. (longfordleader.ie)
- otherThe accused had four previous convictions, three for drugs offences and one for a public order offence. (longfordleader.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 15 May2025'Evil' Longford man jailed for vicious attack and threat to rape woman
Reports the sentencing of Michal Godla at Longford Circuit Court. No existing case matches this sentencing.
convicted, Michal Godla, 35, male, Slovakian, named, non-irishMichal Godlavictim, female - 8 May2025‘Evil’ man jailed for ‘vicious’ park attack and threat to rape woman in the Midlands
Adds the sentencing details: the three-year-and-three-month sentence with nothing suspended, the judge's headline sentence and mitigating factors, the reasons for refusing to suspend any part, the victim impact statement, and the background of the accused.
convicted, Michal Godla, 35, male, Slovakian, named, non-irishMichal Godlavictim, female - 7 May2025‘Evil’ man jailed for ‘vicious’ Longford park attack and threat to rape woman
Adds sentencing details: the judge's headline sentence of four years and eight months, the 17-month reduction for mitigation, the refusal to suspend any part of the sentence, the victim impact evidence and the medical report on her injuries.
convicted, Michal Godla, 35, male, Slovakian, named, non-irishMichal Godlavictim, female - 7 May2025Man jailed over 'vicious' assault of woman in Co Longford
Reports the sentence of three years and three months with no portion suspended, the guilty plea and withdrawal of the second charge, the victim's injuries and psychological impact, and the judge's remarks on aggravating and mitigating factors.
convicted, Michal Godla, 35, male, Slovakian, named, non-irishMichal Godlavictim, female