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. 6977Rape and sexual assault of a child · Co. Dublin

Man bids to overturn conviction for rape of seven-year-old girl

A 55-year-old man was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in May 2023 of one count of rape and 12 counts of sexual assault against a seven-year-old girl who lived in his shared rented house in County Dublin, with offending between September 21, 2012 and September 6, 2013. Gardai interviewed the complainant in a specialist interview on December 5, 2020, when she was 15, and the man, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted on May 9, 2023 and sentenced to 10 years and six months for the rape, with seven years and six months for the sexual assaults to run concurrently. On May 1, 2025 he appealed to the Court of Appeal, arguing the trial judge should have given a corroboration warning, and the three-judge court reserved judgement.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court1 May
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The man is 55 years old and cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim.
  • The complainant was a seven-year-old girl; the sources say she would have been around seven or eight at the time of the offending.
  • The man offered the girl treats such as Kinder Eggs before sexually assaulting her.
  • On one occasion he bent the girl over the bed and raped her.
  • The complainant said he would stroke the back of her head and touch her whenever he got the chance.
  • The complainant described being licked, fingered and touched on several parts of her body, nearly every weekend.
Where
The girl lived in the man's shared rented house in County Dublin.
When
The offending occurred between September 21, 2012 and September 6, 2013.
Investigation
Gardai carried out a specialist interview with the complainant on December 5, 2020, when she was 15.
Charges
The man was charged with one count of rape and 12 counts of sexual assault, and he pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In court
  • A jury convicted him at a Central Criminal Court trial on May 9, 2023, after the trial in May 2023.
  • His defence argued the trial judge erred by declining to give a corroboration warning, while the DPP said there was nothing special and peculiar in the case.
  • The Court of Appeal heard the appeal on May 1, 2025, and the three-judge court reserved judgement.
Sentence
He was sentenced to 10 years and six months for the rape, and seven years and six months for the 12 sexual assault counts to run concurrently.
Other details
The complainant's parents had separated, and she stayed with her father from Friday to Sunday.
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe man is 55 years old and cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe offered the girl treats such as Kinder Eggs before sexually assaulting her (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOn one occasion he bent her over the bed and raped her (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe complainant would have been around seven or eight years old at the time of offending (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe complainant said the appellant would stroke the back of her head and touch her whenever he got the chance (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe would offer her treats saying words to the effect of 'if I give you this, would you let me do that' (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe complainant described him feeling, licking, and fingering her on her neck, face, hands, boobs, fanny, and bum (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe abuse happened whenever he got the chance, nearly every weekend (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe offending occurred between September 21, 2012 and September 6, 2013 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationA specialist interview with gardai took place on December 5, 2020, when the complainant was 15 (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe was convicted on one count of rape and 12 counts of sexual assault (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA Central Criminal Court trial took place in May 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtHe was convicted on May 9, 2023 (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDefence counsel Maurice Coffey SC argued the trial judge erred by declining to give a corroboration warning (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDPP counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor SC said it was manifestly clear there was nothing special and peculiar in the case (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMr Justice John Edwards said the three-judge court would reserve judgement (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceHe was sentenced to 10 years and six months for the count of rape (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceHe received seven years and six months on the 12 counts of sexual assault to run concurrently (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherHe pleaded not guilty to all charges (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe complainant's parents had separated and she stayed with her father from Friday to Sunday (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 1 May2025
    In courtirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man bids to overturn conviction for rape of seven-year-old girl

    Reports the Court of Appeal hearing on 1 May 2025 where defence counsel Maurice Coffey SC argued the trial judge should have given a corroboration warning; DPP counsel Anne-Marie Lawlor SC opposed; the three-judge court reserved judgement.

    victim, 7, femaleconvicted, 55, male