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. 6729Sexual assault; robbery · Co. Dublin · 26 Jan 2023

Woman jailed for sex assault and robbery at Dublin Luas stop

On 26 January 2023 at a Luas stop in Dublin, a 38-year-old woman was dragged from a taxi by her hair, punched and made to strip during a dispute about money with a 49-year-old woman, who was later arrested after CCTV footage from the area led to both women being named as suspects. The 49-year-old woman pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to sexual assault and robbery, and a co-accused man has denied the charges. On 19 January 2024 Mr Justice Paul McDermott sentenced her, and the reports give two figures: three years' imprisonment, and four years with the final 12 months suspended. The co-accused man's trial is still pending.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced19 Jan
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The victim, a 38-year-old woman, was dragged out of a taxi by her hair, punched and made to strip naked.
  • The attackers threatened to kill the victim and throw her into the canal.
  • The victim was found to have many bruises and cuts, including to her legs and forehead.
  • The court heard the assault was not committed for sexual gratification but to see if there was something worth stealing.
Weapon
A nearby man armed with a golf club demanded the return of a stolen mobile phone, and the attackers returned it.
Where
The offences took place at a Luas stop in Dublin.
When
The offences took place on 26 January 2023.
Cause
The incident followed a dispute about money between the two women.
Investigation
  • CCTV footage from the local area led to both accused being nominated as suspects.
  • The 49-year-old woman was arrested and maintained her right to silence.
Charges
The 49-year-old woman pleaded guilty to sexual assault and robbery; the co-accused man has denied the charges and will stand trial later.
In court
The woman appeared at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott, as reported on 19 January 2024.
Sentence
Sources differ on the sentence: one reports she was jailed for three years, another reports four years' imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.
Other details
  • Mitigating factors included her very early guilty plea, her expressed remorse, a lengthy and positive governor's report, and acceptance that she was under the influence of intoxicants at the time.
  • The woman has 49 previous convictions, including drug offences.
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe victim was dragged out of a taxi by her hair, punched and made to strip naked. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe attackers threatened to kill the victim and throw her into the canal. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe victim was found to have many bruises and cuts, including to her legs and forehead. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe court heard the assault was not committed for sexual gratification but to see if there was something worth stealing. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatA nearby man armed with a golf club demanded the return of a stolen mobile phone, and the attackers returned it. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe offences took place at a Luas stop in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe offences took place on 26 January 2023. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeThe incident followed a dispute about money between the two women. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationCCTV footage from the local area led to both accused being nominated as suspects. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe woman was arrested and maintained her right to silence. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe woman pleaded guilty to sexual assault and robbery. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeThe co-accused man has denied the charges and will stand trial later. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe woman appeared at the Central Criminal Court before Mr Justice Paul McDermott. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe woman was sentenced to four years imprisonment with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe woman was jailed for three years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceMitigating factors included the very early plea of guilty and the woman's expressed remorse. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe woman has 49 previous convictions, including drug offences. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe woman entered her plea at a very early stage. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherIt was accepted that the woman was under the influence of intoxicants at the time of the attack. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherA lengthy and positive governor's report was before the court. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 19 Jan2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Woman jailed for sex assault on female acquaintance during Dublin robbery

    Reports the sentencing of the woman, who pleaded guilty, and the pending trial of a co-accused man. The article gives two sentence figures: 'jailed for three years' in the introduction and 'four years imprisonment but suspended the final 12 months' later in the text.

    convicted, 49, femalevictim, 38, femaleaccused, male