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. 14755Sexual assault · Co. Longford · 11 Feb 2021

Man jailed for sexual assault of sleeping woman at Longford home

A 47-year-old man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a sleeping woman by digitally penetrating her at the Longford home of a mutual friend on 11 February 2021. Gardaí responded to a 999 call from the property early the following morning. The judge said the woman was vulnerable and the man knew she was intoxicated. On 22 January 2025, Mr Justice Paul McDermott set a headline sentence of five years, imposed four years with the final 18 months suspended, and ordered no contact with the victim, so the man was jailed for two and a half years.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced28 Jan
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A 47-year-old man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a sleeping woman by digitally penetrating her.
Where
The assault took place at the Longford home of a mutual friend.
When
The assault took place on 11 February 2021.
Cause
The judge said the victim was vulnerable and the accused knew she was intoxicated.
Investigation
Gardaí responded to a 999 call from the property early the following morning.
Charges
The man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the woman by digitally penetrating her.
In court
Mr Justice Paul McDermott passed sentence on 22 January 2025 and set a headline sentence of five years.
Sentence
  • The judge imposed four years after mitigation, with the final 18 months suspended for 18 months on strict conditions, so the man was jailed for two and a half years.
  • The man was ordered to have no contact with the victim.
Other details
  • The woman said she had been in bed with her friend and no sexual activity had taken place, while the accused told gardaí there had been some sexual contact but that it was consensual.
  • The man has 20 previous convictions, mainly for road traffic offences.
24 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman by digitally penetrating her while she slept. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whatA man was jailed for sexually assaulting a sleeping woman. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whereThe assault took place at the Longford home of a mutual friend. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whereThe assault happened at the Longford home of a mutual friend. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • whenThe assault took place on 11 February 2021. (longfordleader.ie)
  • whenThe assault happened on February 11, 2021. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • causeThe judge said the victim was vulnerable and the accused knew she was intoxicated. (longfordleader.ie)
  • causeThe woman was vulnerable and the man knew she was intoxicated. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • investigationGardaí responded to a 999 call from the property early the following morning. (longfordleader.ie)
  • investigationGardaí responded to a 999 call from the property the following morning. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the woman by digitally penetrating her. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • courtMr Justice Paul McDermott passed sentence on 22 January 2025. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtThe judge said the case warranted a headline sentence of five years. (longfordleader.ie)
  • courtMr Justice Paul McDermott passed sentence. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed a sentence of four years after taking mitigating factors into account. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceThe final 18 months of the term were suspended for 18 months on strict conditions. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceThe man was ordered to have no contact with the victim. (longfordleader.ie, offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceThe man was jailed for two and a half years. (longfordleader.ie)
  • sentenceThe court set a headline sentence of five years and imposed four years after mitigation. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • sentenceThe final 18 months of the four-year term were suspended. (offalyexpress.ie)
  • otherThe woman said she had been in bed with her friend and no sexual activity had taken place. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherThe accused told gardaí there had been some sexual contact but that it was consensual. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherThe accused has 20 previous convictions, mainly for road traffic offences. (longfordleader.ie)
  • otherThe man has 20 previous convictions, mainly for road traffic offences. (offalyexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 30 Jan2025
    Sentencedoffalyexpress.ie, first report
    Man jailed following sexual assault of a sleeping woman in the Midlands

    Sentencing report. The man pleaded guilty, received four years with the final 18 months suspended, and was ordered to have no contact with the victim. The judge said the assault was on a vulnerable woman who was intoxicated.

    convicted, 47, malevictim, female
  2. 28 Jan2025
    Sentencedlongfordleader.ie, first report
    A Man has been jailed following the sexual assault of a sleeping woman in Longford

    Reports the sentencing on 22 January 2025: a two and a half year jail term with the final 18 months suspended, a no-contact order, and the accused's plea, previous convictions, and the defence account that the contact was consensual.

    convicted, 47, malevictim, female