Thursday 29 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. 7519Rape

Man jailed for five years over rape of former girlfriend

A 29-year-old man with no previous convictions was involved in the rape of a woman at a workplace in the southeast of the country in January 2020. The woman confided in a colleague, gardaí were called, and the man made admissions to a colleague and to gardaí upon arrest. Two earlier trials were aborted before a jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted him of rape, and on 18 June 2026 Judge Paul Burns imposed a six-year sentence with the final year suspended, reported as a five-year jail term. The man does not accept the verdict.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced18 Jun
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The accused is a 29-year-old man with no previous convictions.
  • The accused and the woman were in the early stages of a romantic relationship that was not sexual, and the accused backed her into a shower cubicle, locked the door and had sex with her.
  • The accused made admissions to a colleague and to gardaí upon arrest.
Where
The rape took place at the couple's workplace at a location in the southeast of the country.
When
The incident took place in January 2020.
Investigation
The woman confided in a colleague and gardaí were called.
In court
Two previous trials were aborted before the man was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of rape.
Other details
  • Section 40 of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 does not apply because the offence occurred at the start of a relationship that never became sexual.
  • The probation report stated the man had not expressed remorse or sufficient insight into the harm caused.
  • The woman said the events of that day changed her life forever and that she is continually traumatised by going to court.
  • The accused does not accept the verdict and maintains he did not know consent had been withdrawn.
Sentence
Judge Paul Burns set a headline sentence of seven years, imposed six years and suspended the final year for three years on conditions including compliance with courses or therapy recommended by the probation service; the Irish Mirror reported the sentence as jailed for five years.
15 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe accused man is 29 years old and has no previous convictions. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe accused and complainant were in the early stages of a romantic relationship that was not a sexual relationship. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe accused backed the woman into a shower cubicle, locked the door, and had sex with her. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe accused made admissions to a colleague and to gardaí upon arrest. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe woman said the events of that day changed her life forever and she is continually traumatised by going to court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe probation report stated the man had not expressed remorse or sufficient insight into the harm caused. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe accused does not accept the verdict and maintains he did not know consent had been withdrawn. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe rape occurred at a location in the southeast of the country. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe incident took place in January 2020. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe woman confided in a colleague and gardaí were called. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe man was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of rape. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtTwo previous trials were aborted before the man was convicted. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtSection 40 of the Domestic Violence Act 2018 does not apply as the offence occurred at the beginning of a relationship that never became a sexual relationship. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceJudge Paul Burns set a headline sentence of seven years imprisonment. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed a six-year sentence and suspended the final year for three years on conditions including compliance with courses or therapy recommended by the probation service. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 18 Jun2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Man, 29, who raped former girlfriend is jailed for five years

    Reports the sentencing by Judge Paul Burns at the Central Criminal Court, including the headline sentence of seven years reduced to six years with the final year suspended, and details of the incident and victim impact statement.

    victim, femaleconvicted, 29, male