Friday 30 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. 17594Rape and sexual assault · Co. Clare

Man convicted of raping and sexually assaulting niece at Clare home, sentencing pending

Between late January and early February 2022, a 58-year-old man assaulted his 39-year-old niece at a home in Co Clare, locking her in a bedroom for over a week. He was arrested and had earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing harm. A jury at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick in January found him guilty of 14 counts, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and making a threat to kill or cause serious harm, and he denied the rest of the allegations. The victim said she will never forgive him, and on 15 April 2024 Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford adjourned the case to 26 April to finalise the sentence.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted15 Apr
    2 reports
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A 58-year-old man was found guilty by a jury of 14 counts, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm.
  • The victim is a 39-year-old woman who is the man's niece.
  • The woman was locked in a bedroom for over a week and was unable to walk or move for several days because of her injuries.
  • The man raped the woman once on the Sunday after the initial assault and, over the following days, inserted his fingers into her vagina while she urinated.
Where
The offending occurred at the man's home in Co Clare.
When
The offending took place on dates in late January and early February 2022.
Weapon
The man struck the woman with a hockey stick and an electric heater, and he kicked her and struck her in the face.
Other details
  • The woman had bruising to her face, head, ears, legs and abdomen.
  • Court heard the man set fire to the bed and curtains using an accelerant.
  • The man has minor previous convictions but none for sexual offending, and the defence said he has been in custody since February 2022 and attends AA meetings.
Charges
Threatening messages the man sent the woman around 8 February form the basis of the threat-to-kill count.
Investigation
The man was arrested and admitted the assaults, and he had earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing harm.
In court
The verdicts followed a Central Criminal Court trial in Limerick in January, and the man denied the rest of the allegations and claimed the woman was an active participant.
Sentence
Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford adjourned the case to 26 April to finalise the sentence.
27 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA 58-year-old man was found guilty by a jury of 14 counts including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe victim is the man's niece. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe woman was locked in a bedroom for over a week and was unable to walk or move for several days due to her injuries. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe man raped the woman once on the Sunday after the initial assault. (thejournal.ie, limerickleader.ie)
  • whatThe man struck the woman in the face during the initial assault. (limerickleader.ie)
  • whatThe woman was locked into a bedroom for over a week. (limerickleader.ie)
  • whatOver the following days, the man inserted his fingers into the woman's vagina while she urinated. (limerickleader.ie)
  • whatThe woman sustained bruising to her face, head, ears, legs and abdomen. (limerickleader.ie)
  • whatThe woman received threatening messages from the man around February 8, which form the basis of the threat-to-kill count. (limerickleader.ie)
  • whereThe offending occurred at a location in Co Clare. (thejournal.ie, limerickleader.ie)
  • whenThe offending took place on dates in late January and early February 2022. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe offending occurred on dates in late January and early February 2022. (limerickleader.ie)
  • causeThe man assaulted the woman with a hockey stick and an electric heater. (thejournal.ie)
  • weaponHe used a hockey stick on the woman's legs, kicked her and struck her with an electric heater. (limerickleader.ie)
  • investigationThe man was arrested and admitted the assaults. (thejournal.ie, limerickleader.ie)
  • chargeThe man had pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing harm. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeThe 58-year-old man was found guilty of 14 counts, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of making a threat to kill or cause serious harm. (limerickleader.ie)
  • chargeHe had earlier pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing harm. (limerickleader.ie)
  • courtThe verdicts followed a Central Criminal Court trial in Limerick in January. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe man denied the rest of the allegations and claimed the woman was an active participant. (limerickleader.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge adjourned the case to 26 April to finalise the sentence. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceMs Justice Siobhan Lankford adjourned the case to April 26 to finalise the sentence. (limerickleader.ie)
  • otherThe man set fire to the bed and curtains using an accelerant. (thejournal.ie, limerickleader.ie)
  • otherThe man has minor previous convictions but none for sexual offending. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe man has a number of minor previous convictions, none for sexual offending. (limerickleader.ie)
  • otherThe victim said she will never forgive the man and that he destroyed everything good in her life. (limerickleader.ie)
  • otherThe defence said the man has been in custody since February 2022 and attends AA meetings while in custody. (limerickleader.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 15 Apr2024
    Convictedlimerickleader.ie, first report
    'Monster' to be sentenced for rape and sexual assault of his niece at his Clare home

    Reports the jury conviction on 14 counts, the sentencing hearing, and the victim's impact statement. Sentence is due to be finalised on 26 April.

    convicted, 58, malevictim, 39, female
  2. 15 Apr2024
    Convictedthejournal.ie, first report
    Woman's 'monster' uncle sexually assaulted her and locked her in room for week, court hears

    Reports the jury verdicts after a Central Criminal Court trial in Limerick, the earlier guilty pleas, the victim's impact statement and the adjournment of sentencing to 26 April.

    convicted, 58, malevictim, 39, female