Wednesday 28 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. 5652Rape · Co. Galway · 21 Jul 2019

Man convicted of raping woman in Galway garden shed in 2019

On July 21, 2019, Bláthnaid Raleigh, a 21-year-old Irish woman, was raped with a bottle and sexually assaulted in a garden shed in Galway by Jonathan (AKA Johnny) Moran, a 26-year-old Irish man. Moran maintained his innocence and claimed the sexual activity was consensual, but a Central Criminal Court jury convicted him of section four rape and aggravated sexual assault; the reports do not give the conviction date. At a sentencing hearing reported on June 17, 2024, Ms Raleigh waived her anonymity and gave a victim impact statement, and the judge revoked Moran's bail and remanded him in custody. The latest development is that Moran remains in custody until July 1 for sentence.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted17 Jun
    2 reports
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Jonathan Moran was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of section four rape of Bláthnaid Raleigh, penetrating her vagina with a bottle, and of aggravated sexual assault, penetrating her anus with a bottle.
When
The offences took place on July 21, 2019.
Where
  • The offences took place in a garden shed in Galway.
  • Ms Raleigh went to the shed with Moran from an Airbnb where he and his friends were staying.
Weapon
Ms Raleigh was raped with a bottle.
Investigation
Ms Raleigh's DNA was found on the opening of three plastic cordial bottles after forensic examination of the shed.
Other details
  • Ms Raleigh arrived at a garda station in distress in the early hours of July 21, 2019.
  • Ms Raleigh suffered extensive physical injuries that needed months of treatment in the sexual assault unit.
  • Ms Raleigh and Moran are both from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, and Moran played rugby in the local club with her brothers, who left the club after 20 years because he was in it.
  • Ms Raleigh had been attending the Arts Festival in Galway when she met Moran and others from their hometown.
In court
  • Moran maintained his innocence throughout the trial, claimed the sexual activity was consensual and denied using any implement.
  • Moran's counsel, Fiona Murphy SC, said he has no previous convictions, accepts the verdicts and is remorseful.
  • Ms Raleigh waived her anonymity to allow Moran to be named in reporting and gave a victim impact statement in which she said she was handing the shame back to him.
Sentence
The judge revoked Moran's bail and remanded him in custody until July 1 for sentence.
26 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatJonathan Moran was convicted by a jury of section four rape of Bláthnaid Raleigh. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatMoran was convicted of section four rape, penetrating the victim's vagina with a bottle (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMoran was convicted of aggravated sexual assault, penetrating the victim's anus with a bottle (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe rape took place in a garden shed in Galway. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereMs Raleigh went to the shed with Moran at an Airbnb where he and his friends were staying. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe assault took place in a garden shed in Galway (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe attack happened on July 21, 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe incident occurred on 21 July 2019 (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe victim was raped with a bottle, according to the headline. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationMs Raleigh's DNA was found on the opening of three plastic cordial bottles after forensic examination of the shed. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMoran's counsel said he has no previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMoran maintained his innocence throughout the trial. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMoran was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge revoked Moran's bail and remanded him in custody until July 1 for sentence. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMoran claimed the sexual activity was consensual and denied using any implement. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMs Raleigh arrived at a garda station in distress in the early hours of July 21, 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMs Raleigh suffered extensive physical injuries that needed months of treatment in the sexual assault unit. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMs Raleigh told Moran she was handing the shame back to him in her victim impact statement. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe victim waived her anonymity to allow the convicted man to be named in reporting (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherBoth the victim and the convicted man are from Mullingar, Co Westmeath, and he played rugby in the local club with her brothers (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim had been attending the Arts Festival in Galway when she met the convicted man and others from their hometown (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim's DNA was found on the opening of three plastic cordial bottles after forensic examination of the shed (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim sustained extensive physical injuries requiring months of treatment in the sexual assault unit (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe convicted man claimed the sexual activity was consensual and denied using any implement (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe convicted man has no previous convictions (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim's brothers left the rugby club they had been in for 20 years because the convicted man was in the same club (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 17 Jun2024
    Convictedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Woman who was raped with bottle says she's handing shame back to attacker

    Sentencing hearing at the Criminal Courts of Justice where the victim waived anonymity and gave a victim impact statement; judge remanded the convicted man in custody until 1 July for sentence.

    victim, Bláthnaid Raleigh, 21, female, Irish, irishBláthnaid Raleighconvicted, Jonathan Moran, 26, male, Irish, named, irishJonathan Moran
  2. 17 Jun2024
    Convictedirishtimes.com, first report
    ‘I am handing the shame back to you’: Woman raped with bottle left with serious physical injuries, court told

    First report on the case. Conviction by jury at the Central Criminal Court; the article does not give the conviction date. Sentencing is due on July 1.

    convicted, Jonathan (AKA Johnny) Moran, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jonathan (AKA Johnny) Moranvictim, Bláthnaid Raleigh, 21, female, irish (judged from name)Bláthnaid Raleigh