Saturday 31 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. 20162Rape; sexual assault · Co. Galway

Rape conviction quashed on appeal, retrial ordered

Bajo Ziflai (23), an Albanian national, was accused of repeatedly raping a 23-year-old woman he met on a dating website under a false name, with the offences taking place at an address in County Galway; the date of the offences is not given. A jury found him guilty of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault after a Central Criminal Court trial in July 2022, and he was jailed for nine years in January 2023. The Court of Appeal later found the verdict unsafe and unsatisfactory, quashed the conviction, and ordered a retrial, as reported on 28 July 2023.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Bajo Ziflai was convicted of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 23-year-old woman.
Where
The offences took place at an address in County Galway.
When
The date of the offences is not given in the sources.
Cause
Ziflai met the woman on a dating website, after giving a false name.
Other details
Ziflai is an Albanian national with an address at Lacken Valley, New Ross, Co Wexford.
In court
  • Ziflai pleaded not guilty to all five charges, and the trial was a Central Criminal Court trial held in July 2022.
  • Ziflai appealed, arguing the trial judge erred in how the jury was directed on lies told by the accused.
  • The Court of Appeal found the verdict unsafe and unsatisfactory, quashed the conviction and ordered a retrial.
Sentence
  • Ziflai was jailed for nine years in January 2023.
  • The sentencing judge, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon, said Ziflai had shown no remorse.
8 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. (kildarenow.com)
  • causeZiflai met the woman on a dating website, using a false name. (kildarenow.com)
  • chargeA jury found Ziflai guilty of four counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. (kildarenow.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)
  • sentenceZiflai was jailed for nine years in January of this year. (kildarenow.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 28 Jul2023
    Otherkildarenow.com, first report
    Man'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