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. 5537Rape (section four) · Co. Galway

Man jailed for eight years for rape of woman in Galway garden shed

Jonathan 'Johnny' Moran, 26, of Tower View, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of section four rape of Bláthnaid Raleigh, who was 21 at the time according to one report (another gives 26). The offence involved a bottle and took place in a garden shed in Galway in July 2019, and she reported it to gardaí. On 1 July 2024 Justice Tony Hunt sentenced Moran to nine years with the final year suspended, which one report describes as eight years in prison. The latest report, dated 3 July 2024, carries the victim's account of the attack and her comments after sentencing.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced1 Jul
    3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Jonathan 'Johnny' Moran, 26, of Tower View, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of section four rape of Bláthnaid Raleigh.
Where
The rape took place in a garden shed in Galway, at a rented house, which one report describes as an Airbnb that Moran and friends were staying in for the weekend.
When
The key facts give the date as July 21, 2019, while the Irish Times report gives only July 2019 without a specific day.
Weapon
Moran raped Ms Raleigh with a bottle.
Investigation
  • Ms Raleigh reported the attack to gardaí, and the garden shed was preserved as a crime scene.
  • Forensic examination of the shed found Ms Raleigh's DNA on the openings of three plastic cordial bottles.
Cause
Moran claimed the sexual activity was consensual and maintained his innocence throughout the trial.
Charges
Moran was charged with section four rape of Ms Raleigh.
In court
A Central Criminal Court jury convicted Moran at trial, and the sentence hearing was held before Justice Tony Hunt at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin.
Sentence
  • Moran was sentenced to nine years in prison with the final year suspended on strict conditions, including a bond with no future contact with the victim, and one report says he was jailed for eight years.
  • The judge set a headline sentence of 10 years and reduced it to nine years.
Other details
  • Moran has no previous convictions, and a probation report assessed him as at moderate risk of re-offending.
  • Ms Raleigh suffered extensive physical injuries that needed months of treatment.
  • Ms Raleigh waived her right to anonymity so that she could speak out for women in her position, and she said she had felt very lonely since the attack.
34 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatMoran was convicted by a jury of raping Ms Raleigh. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMoran assaulted Ms Raleigh in a garden shed in a rented house in Galway. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe offence took place in a shed. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe offence took place in a garden shed in Galway. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe attack took place in a garden shed in a rented house in Galway. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe rape took place in July 2019. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe offence took place on July 21, 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe attack happened in 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeMoran claimed the sexual activity had been consensual. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe woman was raped with a bottle. (irishtimes.com)
  • weaponMoran penetrated the woman's vagina with a bottle. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponThe rape involved a bottle. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationForensic examination found the victim's DNA on the opening of three plastic cordial bottles. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationHer DNA was found on the opening of three plastic cordial bottles after a forensic examination of the shed. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe garden shed was preserved as a crime scene after she reported to gardaí. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí entered the house by 9am on the morning of the attack. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMoran was convicted at trial. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMoran was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMoran maintained his innocence throughout the trial. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA Central Criminal Court jury convicted Moran of section four rape. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMoran's sentence hearing was held at the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceMoran was sentenced to nine years in prison with the final year suspended. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe final year of the sentence was suspended after Moran entered into a bond. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe bond includes a condition of no future contact with the victim. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge sentenced Moran to eight years in prison. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of 10 years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge reduced the sentence to nine years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe final year of the nine-year term was suspended on strict conditions. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceMoran was jailed for eight years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMoran claimed the sexual activity was consensual. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe victim suffered extensive physical injuries that needed months of treatment. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherMoran has no previous convictions. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA probation report assessed Moran as at moderate risk of re-offending. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe victim waived her anonymity. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 3 Jul2024
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Bottle rape victim describes how man's personality changed when light turned off

    Reports Moran's eight-year sentence after conviction by a Central Criminal Court jury, and the victim's account of the 2019 attack in a Galway garden shed. Also gives the victim's statements after the verdict.

    convicted, Jonathan 'Johnny' Moran, 26, male, named, irish (judged from name)Jonathan 'Johnny' Moranvictim, Bláthnaid Raleigh, 26, female, irish (judged from name)Bláthnaid Raleigh
  2. 1 Jul2024
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man who raped woman with bottle in garden shed jailed for eight years

    Sentencing report for a 2019 Galway rape case, with the victim's and defence's accounts and the judge's remarks on consent. The article gives the sentence details and the suspended final year.

    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
  3. 1 Jul2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Man jailed for ‘appalling’ rape of woman with bottle after night out in Galway

    Sentencing report at the Central Criminal Court. The article gives the offence as July 2019 without a specific day, and it names the victim, who waived her right to anonymity.

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