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. 17561Rape, false imprisonment, sexual assault, assault causing harm · Co. Clare

Man found guilty of raping and assaulting niece at Clare home

A 58-year-old man was found guilty by a jury of 14 counts, including rape, false imprisonment and sexual assault, against his 39-year-old niece at a home in Clare. The offences included assaults with a hockey stick and an electric heater, and the woman was held in a bedroom for over a week. The man was arrested, has been in custody since February 2022, and pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing harm before a January trial. Sentencing was adjourned to April 26 to finalise the sentence.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Convicted18 Apr
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
Other details
  • The victim is a 39-year-old woman, the niece of the suspect.
  • The suspect is a 58-year-old man, the woman's uncle.
  • The man has been in custody since February 2022.
Where
The offences took place at a home in County Clare, in a bedroom.
When
The rape took place on the Sunday after the initial assault; no calendar date for the offences is given.
What happened
  • The woman was locked in a bedroom for over a week, described as a week in the headline.
  • The man raped the woman once on the Sunday after the initial assault.
Weapon
The man used a hockey stick on the woman's legs and struck her with an electric heater.
Investigation
The man was arrested and admitted the assaults.
Charges
  • A jury found the man guilty of 14 counts, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of threat to kill or cause serious harm.
  • The man pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing harm.
In court
The jury trial took place in January, and the verdict was reported on April 18, 2024.
Sentence
No sentence has been reported yet; the judge adjourned the case to April 26 to finalise the sentence.
8 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe woman was locked in a bedroom for over a week. (clareecho.ie)
  • whatThe man raped the woman once on the Sunday after the initial assault. (clareecho.ie)
  • weaponThe man used a hockey stick on the woman's legs and struck her with an electric heater. (clareecho.ie)
  • investigationThe man was arrested and admitted the assaults. (clareecho.ie)
  • chargeA jury found the man guilty of 14 counts, including rape, false imprisonment, 11 counts of sexual assault and one count of threat to kill or cause serious harm. (clareecho.ie)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty to four counts of assault causing harm. (clareecho.ie)
  • courtThe judge adjourned the case to April 26 to finalise the sentence. (clareecho.ie)
  • otherThe man has been in custody since February 2022. (clareecho.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 18 Apr2024
    Convictedclareecho.ie, first report
    'Monster' uncle raped niece and locked her in room at Clare home for a week after assaulting her - Clare Echo

    Reports the jury verdict on 14 counts after a January trial, the guilty pleas to four counts of assault causing harm, the court's adjournment of sentencing to April 26, and details of the victim's injuries and the period she was held in a bedroom.

    convicted, 58, malevictim, 39, female