Man jailed for six and a half years for raping teenage cousin in Wexford
A man, aged 20 at the time of the offence and 24 at sentencing, who cannot be named to protect the victim's anonymity, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court in October 2026 to six and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to raping his 16-year-old second cousin at her home in Wexford between 8 and 10 June 2023. The man, who had just been released from a prison sentence for assault causing harm and had previous convictions including two for sexual assault, had been allowed to stay with the victim's family by her father after his own family refused to take him in. He entered the girl's bedroom, blocked her, put his hand over her mouth, and raped her, telling her he would kill her if she told anyone. The girl confided in a friend before telling her parents following an episode of self-harm, and Gardaí were notified immediately. Mr Justice Tony Hunt set a headline sentence of 10 years, reduced to seven, with the final six months suspended, and ordered three years' post-release supervision and a no-contact order.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced20 Oct
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A man raped his 16-year-old second cousin at her home in Wexford between 8 and 10 June 2023.
- The man had just been released from a prison sentence for assault causing harm and had previous convictions including two for sexual assault.
- The victim's father allowed the then 20-year-old man to stay with them after his own family refused to take him in, while the mother was in hospital with a sick sibling.
- The man entered the girl's bedroom, touched her inappropriately, blocked her, put his hand over her mouth, and raped her, telling her he would kill her if she told anyone.
- Investigation
- Gardaí were notified immediately and the man was interviewed the following autumn.
- Charges
- The man pleaded guilty to a single count of rape at the victim's Wexford home on a date between 8 and 10 June 2023.
- In court
- Mr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced the man at the Central Criminal Court in October 2026.
- Sentence
- The judge set a headline sentence of 10 years, reduced to seven, with the final six months suspended, resulting in six and a half years.
- The man was placed under post-release supervision for three years and ordered to have no further contact with the victim or her family.
- Other details
- The man is the girl's second cousin and cannot be named to protect her anonymity.
- Defence counsel Colman Cody SC submitted the man may have lived with an intellectual disability comorbid with ADHD.
18 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe man raped his teenage cousin after being released from jail. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim's father allowed the then 20-year-old man to stay with them after his own family refused to take him in. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim's mother was in hospital with a sick sibling and unaware of the arrangement. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe man entered the room of the then 16-year-old and started touching her inappropriately. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe blocked her and put his hand over her mouth before raping her. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatHe told her he would kill her if she told anyone. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe girl had been talking to a friend on Snapchat when her cousin came into the room. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe girl confided in a friend before telling her parents after an episode of self-harm. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí were notified immediately and the man was interviewed the following autumn. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeThe man pleaded guilty to a single count of rape at the victim's Wexford home on a date between June 8 and 10, 2023. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMr Justice Tony Hunt sentenced the man at the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of 10 years, reduced to seven years, with the final six months suspended. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe man was placed under post-release supervision for three years. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe man was ordered to have no further contact with the victim or her family. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe is the girl's second cousin and cannot be named to protect her anonymity. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe has a number of previous convictions, including two for sexual assault. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherHe had just been released from a prison sentence for assault causing harm when he committed the offence. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherDefence counsel Colman Cody SC submitted the man may have lived with an intellectual disability comorbid with ADHD. (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 20 Oct2026Man raped teen cousin after release from jail: 'We took him into our home'
Reports the sentencing: headline of 10 years reduced to seven, with the final six months suspended, plus three years' post-release supervision and a no-contact order. Details the circumstances of the offence, the man's prior convictions, and the victim's impact statement.
victim, 16, femaleconvicted, 24, male