Ireland Case No. 0813Rape · Co. Offaly · 25 May 2022
Offaly man sentenced for rape of best friend in her home
A 44-year-old man raped his best friend while she slept beside her infant grandchild in a moses basket in her home in Offaly on 25 May 2022. The woman woke to find she was naked and the man on top of her, and called gardaí when he refused to leave. She was treated at a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit where bruising and a small cut to her vagina were found. A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted him on one charge of rape. Judge Paul Burns set a headline sentence of eight years and imposed seven years with the final year suspended for three years, conditional on probation supervision.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced15 Jun
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The man raped his best friend while she slept beside her infant grandchild in a moses basket in her home.
- Where
- The rape took place in the woman's home in Offaly.
- When
- The rape took place on 25 May 2022.
- Investigation
- The woman and her son reported the rape to gardaí after she told her son what had happened.
- The man was arrested for a public order offence.
- The woman was treated at a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit where bruising and a small cut to her vagina were found.
- Charges
- The man was charged with one count of rape.
- In court
- A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted the man on one charge of rape.
- Sentence
- Judge Paul Burns set a headline sentence of eight years and imposed seven years with the final year suspended for three years, conditional on probation supervision and attending directed therapies or courses.
- Other details
- The man has eight previous convictions for District Court offences including road traffic and public order offences.
- The defence maintained the sex was consensual and that the man and the woman had sex numerous times previously.
32 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe man raped his best friend while she slept beside her grandchild in a moses basket. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whatThe accused man is 44 years old and from Offaly (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman went to bed about midnight with her infant grandchild in the bedroom (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman had her period and took a sleeping tablet before going to bed (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman woke up naked with a person on top of her having sex with her (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman pushed the person off and left her bedroom (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused came out of the bedroom naked on top with his bottoms around his ankles (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman had to call gardaí because the man refused to leave her home (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman was found to have bruising and a small cut to her vagina (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe man has eight previous convictions for District Court offences including road traffic and public order offences (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe accused maintained that the sex was consensual and said they had sex numerous times previously (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman's victim-impact statement described feeling like a zombie and that the rape had shattered her sense of security in her home (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe rape took place in the woman's home. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe rape took place on 25 May 2022. (offalyexpress.ie)
- whenThe rape occurred on 25 May 2022 (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe woman reported the rape to gardaí after telling her son what had happened. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationThe man was arrested for a public order offence. (offalyexpress.ie, irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe woman was found to have bruising and a small cut to her vagina after treatment at a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit. (offalyexpress.ie)
- investigationThe woman told her son what happened and they reported the rape to the gardaí (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe woman was treated in a local Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe was convicted on one charge of raping the woman in her home (irishtimes.com)
- courtA jury convicted the man after a trial at the Central Criminal Court on one charge of rape. (offalyexpress.ie)
- courtThe man was convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
- courtProsecuting counsel was Kevin White and defending counsel was Brendan Grehan (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of eight years' imprisonment. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe man was sentenced to seven years, with the final year suspended for three years. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceThe suspension is conditional on three years' probation supervision and attending any therapies or courses directed by that service. (offalyexpress.ie)
- sentenceJudge Paul Burns set a headline sentence of eight years (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe final sentence was seven years with the final year suspended for three years to encourage rehabilitation (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe man has eight previous convictions for District Court offences. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe defence says the man does not accept the verdict and maintains the sex was consensual. (offalyexpress.ie)
- otherThe woman said the assault had changed her life. (offalyexpress.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 15 Jun2026Man who raped best friend while sleeping beside grandchild jailed for six years
Sentencing report: the man received a headline sentence of eight years, reduced to seven years with the final year suspended for three years. He maintained the sex was consensual throughout.
convicted, 44, male, irish (judged from name)victim, female - 15 Jun2026Offaly man raped best friend as she slept beside her grandchild
Reports the jury conviction at the Central Criminal Court, the sentence imposed by Mr Justice Paul Burns, the suspension conditions, the victim impact statement and the defence position. No earlier coverage of this case is in the list.
convicted, 44, malevictim, female