Man convicted of raping unconscious wife appeals with new video evidence
A 52-year-old man was convicted of 11 counts of raping his wife while she was unconscious between 2006 and 2014 in Dublin, using objects including a knife handle, bicycle pump, cucumber, banana and wooden spatula. After a first jury in 2022 acquitted him on four counts and hung on the remaining 11, and a second jury in May 2023 was discharged over a legal issue concerning a warrant, he was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment with the final year suspended. At the Court of Appeal on 26 July 2026, his counsel sought leave to rely on a video found on a laptop purchased after Gardaí seized his other devices in 2019, which shows the complainant on all fours in her underwear while he filmed her; the court reserved its judgment.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court28 Jul
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The man was convicted of 11 counts of raping his wife while she was unconscious between 2006 and 2014.
- Where
- The offences occurred in Dublin.
- When
- The rapes took place between 2006 and 2014.
- Weapon
- Objects used included the handle of a knife up to the hilt, a bicycle pump, a cucumber, a banana and a wooden spatula.
- Investigation
- Gardaí seized a laptop owned by the husband during the investigation in 2019.
- In court
- The first jury in 2022 acquitted him on four counts and was unable to decide on the remaining 11.
- The jury in his second trial in May 2023 was discharged for a legal reason concerning a warrant.
- At the Court of Appeal on 26 July 2026, his counsel sought leave to rely on a new video as evidence and the court reserved its judgment.
- Sentence
- He was sentenced to 12 years in prison with the final year suspended.
- Other details
- The new video shows the complainant on all fours in her underwear while the appellant was filming her buttocks, and was found on a laptop purchased after May 2019.
- At the time of sentence, the man had no previous convictions.
13 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe man was convicted of 11 counts of raping his wife between 2006 and 2014. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatAll rapes occurred while the victim was unconscious. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe new video shows the complainant on all fours in her underwear while the appellant was filming her buttocks. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe video was found on a laptop purchased after May 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
- weaponObjects used included the handle of a knife up to the hilt, a bicycle pump, a cucumber, a banana and a wooden spatula. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí seized a laptop owned by the husband during the investigation in 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHe was sentenced to 12 years in prison with the final year suspended. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe first jury in 2022 acquitted him on four counts and was unable to decide on the remaining 11. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe jury in his second trial in May 2023 was discharged for a legal reason concerning a warrant. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe Court of Appeal reserved its judgment. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherAt the time of sentence, the man had no previous convictions. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe appellant's counsel is Diarmuid Collins SC. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe DPP's counsel is Eilis Brennan SC. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 28 Jul2026Man who raped unconscious wife asks for video evidence to be submitted in appeal
Court of Appeal hearing on 26 July 2026 where the appellant's counsel sought leave to rely on a new video as evidence; judgment reserved.
convicted, 52, malevictim, female