Ireland Case No. 9052Rape of a child · Co. Offaly
Midlands man sentenced for child rape offences
Noel O'Neill (30), of Daingean, Co Offaly, was convicted after a trial at the Central Criminal Court of rape offences. The sources describe the offending in two ways: three counts against a step-niece aged between six and 12, from October 2012 to October 2018, in Edenderry, Co Offaly, or one count against a woman in her home on 25 May 2022. He was found guilty in January 2026, and sentencing reports dated 15 June 2026 give a nine-year jail term in one account and a six-year term in another. The defence does not accept the verdict, and the sentencing reports are the latest development.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced15 Jun
3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Noel O'Neill (30) was convicted after a trial of rape offences, with reports describing either three counts of raping a child or one count of raping an adult woman.
- Where
- One report places the three counts at O'Neill's former family home in Edenderry, Co Offaly, while another places the single count in the woman's home.
- When
- One report dates the offending from October 2012, when O'Neill was 17, to October 2018, when he was 22.
- Another report dates a single offence to 25 May 2022.
- Other details
- The victim is described as a woman aged 19 in the case details and as a child aged between six and 12 in the court reports of the three counts.
- In the 2022 case, the woman woke to find herself naked with a man having sex with her, and a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit found bruising and a small cut to her vagina.
- The victim has a diagnosis of PTSD, which the court took into account.
- The defence said the man maintained that the sex was consensual and does not accept the verdict.
- Investigation
- The victim first disclosed the abuse in 2021 to her mother.
- In court
- O'Neill pleaded not guilty and was found guilty after a trial at the Central Criminal Court in January 2026.
- Sentence
- One report gives a headline sentence of 11 years, reduced by one year, with the final year suspended, and a jail term of nine years.
- Another report gives a headline sentence of eight years, reduced to seven with the final year suspended for three years, and a jail term of six years.
- The judge cited mitigating factors, including no significant previous convictions, although the man has eight previous District Court convictions.
- O'Neill was ordered to be registered as a sex offender.
32 statements extracted from the articles
- whatNoel O'Neill was convicted after a trial of three counts of raping a child. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatThe woman had taken her infant grandchild to her bedroom, where the child was in a Moses basket. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatNoel O'Neill was convicted of three counts of raping a child by putting his penis into her mouth. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whereThe offences were committed at O'Neill's former family home in Edenderry, County Offaly. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whereThe rape took place in the woman's home. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whereThe offences were committed at O'Neill's former family home in Edenderry, Co Offaly. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenThe offending started in October 2012, when O'Neill was 17. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe final offence took place in October 2018, when O'Neill was 22. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe offence took place on 25 May 2022. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenThe offending started in October 2012, when O'Neill was aged 17. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenThe final offence took place in October 2018, when O'Neill was aged 22. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- investigationThe victim first disclosed the sexual assaults in 2021 to her mother. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationThe man was arrested for a public order offence. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtO'Neill was found guilty of the three offences after a trial in January. (offalyexpress.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe man was convicted after a trial at the Central Criminal Court on one charge of rape. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtO'Neill had pleaded not guilty to the three offences. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of 11 years. (offalyexpress.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe judge reduced the sentence by one year, citing mitigating factors. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe final year of the sentence was suspended on conditions including keeping the peace. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceO'Neill was ordered to be registered as a sex offender. (offalyexpress.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of eight years imprisonment. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe man was sentenced to seven years, with the final year suspended for three years. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe conditions of the suspension include three years of probation supervision. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe man was jailed for six years. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe sentence was reduced by one year for mitigating factors, including no significant previous convictions. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- sentenceO'Neill was jailed for nine years. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe woman woke to find herself naked with a man on top of her having sex with her. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe woman was treated in a local Sexual Assault Treatment Unit and found to have bruising and a small cut to her vagina. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe man has eight previous convictions for District Court offences. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe defence said the man maintained that the sex was consensual and does not accept the verdict. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe victim had a diagnosis of PTSD, which the court took into account. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- otherThe victim first disclosed the abuse in 2021 to her mother. (leinsterexpress.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 15 Jun2026Scars will never fade - says victim of Midlands man jailed for rape
Reports the Central Criminal Court trial outcome, the sentence imposed on 15 June 2026, the sex offender registration order and the victim's impact statement.
convicted, Noel O'Neill, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Noel O'Neillvictim, 19, female - 15 Jun2026Midlands man raped best friend as she slept beside her grandchild
Sentencing report after a jury conviction at the Central Criminal Court. The defence does not accept the verdict.
convicted, 44, malevictim, female - 15 Jun2026Offaly man who repeatedly orally raped step-niece jailed for nine years
Reports the conviction at trial in January 2026, the sentence (headline 11 years reduced by one year, final year suspended), sex offender registration, and the victim's impact statement.
convicted, Noel O'Neill, 30, male, named, irish (judged from name)Noel O'Neillvictim, 19, female