Sunday 1 November 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. 0664Rape, sexual assault, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child · Co. Dublin · 1 May 2019

Uncle jailed for 11 years for raping niece in Dublin

A 35-year-old man, the uncle of the victim, was convicted at a Central Criminal Court trial in May 2025 of two counts of rape, 10 sample counts of sexual assault and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. The offending took place between May 2019 and April 2021 at the family home in Dublin, when the girl was aged between 10 and 11 and the man was in loco parentis. The man, who had been homeless and was taken into the family's home, cannot be named to protect the girl's right to anonymity. Mr Justice Sean Gillane sentenced him to 11 years in prison, backdated to 13 May 2025.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced6 Jul
    3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The man, the victim's uncle, was in loco parentis when the offending occurred, and the abuse was repeated over a two-year period.
  • The offending included inappropriate touching over clothing, touching of the victim's vagina under clothing, the man placing his penis on her body moving up and down, and two or three instances of rape.
Where
The offending took place at the girl's family home in Dublin.
When
The offending took place between May 2019 and April 2021, when the girl was aged between 10 and 11.
Investigation
A report was made to gardai in August 2025.
Charges
The man was convicted at a Central Criminal Court trial in May 2025 of two counts of rape, 10 sample counts of sexual assault and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.
In court
The trial and sentencing took place at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Sean Gillane, with Jane Horgan Jones BL prosecuting and Dominic McGinn SC defending.
Sentence
The man was sentenced to 11 years in prison, backdated to 13 May 2025.
Other details
  • The man is originally from Romania, has no previous convictions, had been homeless and was taken into the family's home, and cannot be identified to protect the girl's right to anonymity.
  • The girl experienced suicidal ideation and self-harm, and the man made no admissions when interviewed voluntarily.
34 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe girl was aged between 10 and 11 during the offending. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe man is 35 years old. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe girl was aged between 10 and 11 when the offending took place. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe abuse started with inappropriate touching over the girl's clothing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe abuse progressed to inappropriate touching of her vagina under her clothing while the man had his hand on his penis. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThis type of offending happened approximately every second or third week. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe man would lie behind the girl and place his penis on her body, moving up and down. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatAfter the abuse, the man would smoke a cigarette and then take her to the shop to get sweets. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe man raped the girl two or three times. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe offending took place at the girl's family home in Dublin. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe girl was between 10 and 11 years old when the offending took place. (rte.ie)
  • whenThe offending took place between May 2019 and April 2021. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • whenThe offending stopped when the girl was 11. (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationThe girl disclosed the abuse and a report was made to gardai in August 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeThe man was convicted at a Central Criminal Court trial in May of two counts of rape, 10 sample counts of sexual assault and one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. (rte.ie)
  • chargeHe was convicted of two counts of rape. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe was convicted of 10 sample counts of sexual assault. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • chargeHe was convicted of one count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • courtA victim impact statement was read to the court by the investigating garda. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge said the man exploited the victim in a deliberate and calculated way. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe judge cited the predatory nature of the offending, its repetition over a two-year period, and the man's attempts to use rewards to silence the victim. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe trial was held at the Central Criminal Court in May. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtMr Justice Sean Gillane imposed the sentence on Monday. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe conviction followed a Central Criminal Court trial in May. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtMr Justice Sean Gillane imposed the sentence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJane Horgan Jones BL was prosecuting. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe man was jailed for 11 years. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to 13 May, when the man went into custody after his conviction. (rte.ie)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to May 13 2025 when the defendant went into custody after conviction. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man has no previous convictions. (rte.ie, irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe man had abused the charity of the girl's parents, who took him into their home when he was homeless. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe man cannot be identified to protect the girl's right to anonymity. (rte.ie)
  • otherThe girl experienced suicidal ideation and self harm. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe man is originally from Romania and has lived in Ireland for many years. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Jul2026
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    Man who sexually abused and raped 10-year-old niece while babysitting jailed

    Sentencing report including victim impact statement, judge's remarks on the predatory nature of the offending, and background on the accused's homelessness and drug difficulties.

    convicted, 35, male, non-irish (judged from name)victim, 10, female
  2. 6 Jul2026
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Man who raped niece (10) while babysitting her jailed for 11 years

    Reports the sentencing of an unnamed 35-year-old man to 11 years for raping and sexually assaulting his 10-year-old niece over a two-year period while in loco parentis at the family home in Dublin. The judge noted the predatory nature of the offending and the abuser's attempts to use rewards to silence the victim.

    convicted, 35, malevictim, 10, female
  3. 6 Jul2026
    Sentencedrte.ie, first report
    Man who raped 10-year-old niece jailed for 11 years

    Sentencing report: the man was jailed for 11 years after a May Central Criminal Court conviction, the sentence was backdated to 13 May, the court cited aggravating factors, and a victim impact statement was read.

    convicted, 35, malevictim, 10 to 11, female