Wednesday 28 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. 2531Rape (anal rape, vaginal rape) · Co. Donegal · 21 Jul 2018

Paul Arthur jailed for 10 years for raping partner Susan Lynch in Donegal

Paul Arthur, 59, of Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was sentenced to 10 years at the Central Criminal Court for two counts of anal rape and one count of vaginal rape of his former partner Susan Lynch between September 2017 and July 2018. Lynch, who waived her anonymity, gave a victim impact statement describing the lasting physical and psychological effects of the rapes and her regret at not receiving counselling during the trial.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced17 Jan
    2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
36 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatSusan Lynch said she did not receive any counselling because she thought the notes would be used against her. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSusan Lynch waived her legal right to anonymity to allow Paul Arthur to be named. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe judge noted the offences were a serious and repeated breach of trust and were pre-meditated. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatPaul Arthur has no previous convictions and suffers from a number of health issues. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatArthur has been in custody since the guilty verdicts were handed down in November and the sentence was backdated. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSusan Lynch gave a statement to gardaí in October 2019 and had been waiting for trial ever since. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSusan Lynch had three surgeries and was taken to A&E for panic attacks. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSusan Lynch now suffers from alopecia. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSusan Lynch could not sleep because the rapes happened in her bed. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSusan Lynch no longer works and has not been able to since 2018. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSusan Lynch left the family home in Donegal two days after the July 2018 rape. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSusan Lynch and Paul Arthur had two children together, and Arthur had three others from a previous relationship. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatPaul Arthur, 59, of Conwal, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, was found guilty by a jury of two counts of anal rape and one count of vaginal rape. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatLynch and Arthur had been partners for 14 years. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatArthur has no previous convictions. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatArthur suffers from a number of health issues. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatLynch and Arthur had two children together. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatArthur had three other children from a previous relationship. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatLynch had three surgeries as a result of the rapes. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatLynch was taken to A&E for panic attacks. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatLynch now suffers from alopecia. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe first rape occurred when Susan Lynch was in bed sleeping in September 2017. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe rapes occurred on dates between September 2017 and July 2018. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenLynch gave a statement to gardaí in October 2019. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe first rape occurred in September 2017 when Lynch was in bed sleeping. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenOn 21 July 2018, Lynch was awoken by Arthur anally raping her, after which he turned her over and vaginally raped her. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenLynch left the family home in Donegal two days after the 21 July 2018 rape. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtPaul Arthur was found guilty by a jury of two counts of anal rape and one count of vaginal rape. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtDefence counsel John Berry SC said there would be no appeal against the conviction. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe trial took place in Castlebar. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentencePaul Arthur was jailed for 10 years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceArthur was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to when Arthur went into custody. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherSusan Lynch waived her legal right to anonymity to allow Arthur to be named. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherArthur has been in custody since the guilty verdicts were handed down in November 2024. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherLynch declined counselling because she feared the notes would be used against her during the trial. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 17 Jan2025
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, follow-up
    Rape victim didn't get counselling as she feared it would be used against her

    Reports the 10-year sentence imposed by Mr Justice Patrick McGrath and includes Susan Lynch's full victim impact statement describing the lasting effects of the rapes, her decision to forgo counselling, and the financial and personal impact on her life.

    victim, Susan Lynch, female, irish (judged from name)Susan Lynchconvicted, Paul Arthur, 59, male, named, irish (judged from name)Paul Arthur
  2. 17 Jan2025
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, follow-up
    ‘You are a monster in my dreams’: Woman raped by partner feared counselling notes would be used against her

    Provides full details of Susan Lynch's victim impact statement at sentencing, including her psychological and financial impact, the judge's comments on the pre-meditated nature of the offences, and the defence's statement that there would be no appeal against the conviction.

    victim, Susan Lynch, female, irish (judged from name)Susan Lynchconvicted, Paul Arthur, 59, male, named, irish (judged from name)Paul Arthur