Sunday 1 November 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. 0469Rape, attempted rape, sexual assault · Co. Wexford

Man sentenced for drugging and raping daughter's friend in Wexford

A 47-year-old man was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on 30 July 2026 after pleading guilty to eight sample counts of rape, sexual assault, child sexual exploitation, child cruelty and possession of child pornography involving five victims. Between June 2024 and July 2025, he drugged his two teenage daughters and their friends with vodka and sleeping pills during sleepovers at his home in Wexford, and raped his younger daughter's 15-year-old friend during a game of hide-and-seek in nearby woods. Gardaí found an encrypted vault on his phone containing 827 child abuse images and 71 videos, including footage of him raping the same girl at an earlier sleepover. Judge Sean Gillane imposed a global sentence of 17 years, with the final 18 months suspended for five years, meaning the man will serve 15 years and six months.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced30 Jul
    3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
The man drugged his two teenage daughters and their friends with vodka and pills during sleepovers at his home, then raped his younger daughter's 15-year-old friend during a game of hide-and-seek in nearby woods and at an earlier sleepover when she was passed out.
Where
The offences took place at the man's home in Wexford, Leinster.
When
The offences occurred between June 2024 and July 2025.
Cause
The man gave the teenagers pills he said were Motilium but which toxicology tests found were sleeping pills and muscle relaxants.
Investigation
Gardaí seized the man's phone and found an encrypted vault containing 827 child abuse images and 71 videos, including footage of him raping the 15-year-old girl at a previous sleepover.
Charges
The man pleaded guilty to eight sample counts at the Central Criminal Court pertaining to five victims, including two counts of rape, one count of sexual assault, one count of child sexual exploitation, one count of child cruelty and three counts of possessing child pornography.
In court
Judge Sean Gillane sentenced the man at the Central Criminal Court, describing him as manipulative and methodical in his offending.
Sentence
The judge imposed a global sentence of 17 years with the final 18 months suspended for five years on strict conditions including probation supervision, meaning the man will serve 15 years and six months.
Other details
The 47-year-old man has no previous convictions.
41 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatHe raped the 15-year-old during a game of hide-and-seek in the woods. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe accused man is 47 years old. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man gave all three girls vodka drinks. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man gave the girls pills he said were Motilium but which toxicology tests found were sleeping pills and muscle relaxants. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man brought the girls on various walks to nearby woods in the early hours of the morning. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man raped the victim in the woods, causing her extreme pain. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe rape victim suffers from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder since the assaults. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man's oldest daughter said she initially did not believe the allegations and stood by her father, which led to her losing friendships and being bullied. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man drugged his daughter and her friends during a sleepover before raping one of her friends during a game of hide and seek in the woods. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe man is 47 years old. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe man plied three girls with vodka drinks and gave them pills he said were Motilium but were sleeping pills and muscle relaxants. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatPart of the rape was captured on the phone of the third girl who inadvertently videoed the incident. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe offences took place at the man's home in Leinster between June 2024 and July 2025. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe offences occurred at the man's home in Leinster. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe offences occurred between June 2024 and July 2025. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • causeHe gave the teenagers pills that were in fact sleeping pills and muscle relaxants. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found an encrypted vault with 827 child abuse images and 71 videos when they seized his phone. (rte.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found encrypted vault footage of him raping the same girl at a previous sleepover a week earlier. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe girl was taken to a sexual assault treatment unit after returning home. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe encrypted vault contained 827 child abuse images and 71 videos. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found 18 images of the man raping the child as she lay in a state of unconsciousness beside his younger daughter. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found 17 images of the third friend asleep on a couch with her breasts exposed. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty to eight sample counts at the Central Criminal Court relating to five victims. (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe admitted two counts of raping his younger daughter's 15-year-old friend and one count of sexually assaulting her. (rte.ie)
  • chargeThe man pleaded guilty to eight sample counts pertaining to five victims. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe admitted one count of sexually assaulting the 15-year-old friend. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe admitted one count of child sexual exploitation by having sexual intercourse in front of another girl. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeHe admitted one count of child cruelty by drugging the children. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe admitted three counts of possessing child pornography. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe pleaded guilty to eight sample counts pertaining to five victims. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe admitted two counts of raping his younger daughter's 15-year-old friend. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtThe judge described the man as manipulative and methodical in his offending. (rte.ie)
  • courtJudge Sean Gillane imposed the sentence at the Central Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMr Justice Sean Gillane imposed the sentence at the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed a global sentence of 17 years, with the final 18 months suspended for five years. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceThe man was jailed for 15 and a half years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe judge imposed a global sentence of 17 years with the final 18 months suspended for five years on strict conditions including probation supervision. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe man was jailed for 15 years and 6 months. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe global sentence was 17 years with the final 18 months suspended for five years on strict conditions including probation supervision. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe man has no previous convictions. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe rape victim suffers from anxiety and PTSD since the assaults. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 30 Jul2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Dad who raped child's friend in hide & seek and drugged kids at sleepover jailed

    Sentencing report: 47-year-old man jailed for 15 years and 6 months (global 17 years, 18 months suspended) after pleading guilty to eight sample counts involving five victims, including drugging children with vodka and sleeping pills and raping a 15-year-old during a game of hide and seek in the woods.

    accused, 47, malevictim, 15, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, 15, female
  2. 30 Jul2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Assailant who drugged daughter and friends before raping one jailed for more than 15 years

    Sentencing report: 47-year-old man pleaded guilty to eight sample counts across five victims; Judge Sean Gillane imposed a global sentence of 17 years with 18 months suspended for five years on strict conditions including probation supervision.

    convicted, 47, malevictim, 15, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, femalevictim, female
  3. 30 Jul2026
    Sentencedrte.ie, first report
    Father sentenced over drugging, raping daughter's friend

    Sentencing report. The article gives two different sentences: the lead says he was jailed for 15 years and six months, while the body says the judge imposed a global sentence of 17 years with the final 18 months suspended.

    convicted, 47, malevictim, 15, female