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. 0757Rape, assault · Co. Meath

Man jailed for 12 years for raping 14-year-old girl in Co Meath

A 22-year-old man raped, assaulted and threatened a 14-year-old girl in a field in Co Meath in September 2022 after meeting her through social media and chatting for about a year. The ordeal lasted between 90 minutes and three hours, and in early 2023 the man sent a photograph of a tattoo that included their agreed safe word. He admitted the rape on the second day of his Central Criminal Court trial in February 2026. Judge Sean Gillane sentenced the now 26-year-old man to 12 years, with the final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced22 Jun
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A man raped, assaulted, verbally abused and threatened a 14-year-old girl in a field in Co Meath.
  • The man was 22 and the girl was 14 at the time; they had met through social media and chatted for about a year before the rape.
  • The ordeal lasted between 90 minutes and three hours.
  • In early 2023 the man sent a photograph of a tattoo that included the safe word they had agreed on.
When
The rape occurred in September 2022.
Where
The rape took place in a field in Co Meath.
In court
The man admitted the rape on the second day of his Central Criminal Court trial in February 2026.
Sentence
Judge Sean Gillane imposed a 12-year sentence with the final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions.
10 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe man got a tattoo as a reminder of the day he raped the girl (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe girl was 14 and the man was 22 at the time of the rape (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThey met through social media and chatted for about a year before the rape (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man assaulted, verbally abused and threatened the girl during the ordeal (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe ordeal lasted between 90 minutes and three hours (irishtimes.com)
  • whatIn early 2023 the man sent a photograph of a tattoo that included the safe word (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe rape took place in a field in Co Meath (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe rape occurred in September 2022 (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe man admitted the rape on the second day of his Central Criminal Court trial in February (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJudge Sean Gillane imposed a 12-year sentence with the final two years suspended for five years on strict conditions (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 22 Jun2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man who got tattoo as reminder of day he violently raped teenager is jailed for 10 years

    Reports the sentencing, including details of the grooming, the tattoo, the victim impact statement, the judge's reasoning on culpability and the weight of family testimonials, and the final sentence of 12 years with two suspended.

    victim, 14, femaleconvicted, 26, male