Ireland Case No. 20162Rape; sexual assault · Co. Galway
Rape and sexual assault conviction quashed in Galway
Bajo Ziflai, an Albanian man aged 22, was found guilty by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in July 2022 of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault of a 23-year-old woman at an address in County Galway. He had met the woman on a dating website using a false name, and the sentencing judge noted the attack was premeditated. He was sentenced in January 2023 to 10 years with the final year suspended, reported as nine years. In July 2023 the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction as unsafe and unsatisfactory and directed a retrial.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In courtnot reported
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced23 Jan
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Ziflai raped a 23-year-old woman four times and sexually assaulted her at an address in County Galway.
- Where
- The offences took place at an address in County Galway; Ziflai has an address at Lacken Valley, New Ross, County Wexford.
- When
- The trial was held at the Central Criminal Court in July 2022 and the conviction was quashed in July 2023.
- Cause
- Ziflai met the woman on a dating website using a false name, and the woman told him in advance they would not be having sex.
- Charges
- A jury found Ziflai guilty of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
- In court
- The Court of Appeal found the verdict unsafe and unsatisfactory, quashed the conviction, and directed a retrial.
- Sentence
- He was sentenced in January 2023 to 10 years with the final year suspended on conditions, reported in some accounts as nine years.
- Other details
- Ziflai was 20 at the time of the attack, has no previous convictions, and has been in custody since shortly after the attack.
- The woman was driven to the house by her mother and has suffered with PTSD and depression as a result.
- The judge noted the attack was premeditated and there was no mitigation due to Ziflai's refusal to acknowledge wrongdoing.
23 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe Court of Appeal quashed Ziflai's conviction for repeated rape. (kildarenow.com)
- whereThe offences took place at an address in County Galway (irishtimes.com, kildarenow.com)
- whereHis address is at Lacken Valley, New Ross, County Wexford (irishtimes.com)
- causeZiflai met the woman on a dating website, using a false name. (kildarenow.com)
- chargeHe was found guilty of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault (irishtimes.com)
- chargeA jury found Ziflai guilty of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. (kildarenow.com)
- courtThe trial was held at the Central Criminal Court in July 2022 (irishtimes.com)
- courtHe was sentenced on Monday 23 January 2023 by Ms Justice Eileen Creedon (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge said there was no mitigation open to him due to his refusal to acknowledge wrongdoing (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial was a Central Court trial held in July 2022. (kildarenow.com)
- courtZiflai appealed, arguing the trial judge erred in how the jury was directed on lies told by the accused. (kildarenow.com)
- courtThe Court of Appeal found the verdict unsafe and unsatisfactory, quashed the conviction and directed a retrial. (kildarenow.com)
- sentenceHe was handed a 10-year jail sentence with the final year suspended on conditions (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceZiflai was jailed for nine years in January of this year. (kildarenow.com)
- otherHe was 20 years old at the time of the attack (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe has no previous convictions (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe has been in custody since shortly after the attack (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe met the woman on a dating website and gave her a false name (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe woman was driven to the house by her mother (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe woman told him in advance they would not be having sex (irishtimes.com)
- otherHe raped her four times and sexually assaulted her before she left and called her mother (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe judge noted the attack was premeditated (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe woman has suffered with PTSD and depression as a result (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 28 Jul2023Man's conviction for repeated rape of woman he met on dating site is quashed
Reports the Court of Appeal quashing the conviction, which had been handed down in January 2023 with a nine-year sentence, and ordering a retrial. The article does not give the date of the offence.
accused, Bajo Ziflai, 23, male, Albanian, named, non-irishBajo Ziflaivictim, 23, female - 23 Jan2023Rapist who met victim on dating site jailed for nine years
Reports the sentencing of Bajo Ziflai to nine years (10 years with final year suspended) and his placement on the Sex Offenders' Register, following his guilty verdict at Central Criminal Court in July 2022.
victim, 23, femaleconvicted, Bajo Ziflai, 22, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Bajo Ziflai