Case No. 1894Rape · Co. Dublin
Woman raped by three men from Dublin nightclub speaks out after convictions and sentences
A woman identified as Kate was raped and sexually assaulted by three men she met at a Dublin nightclub on 31 August 2019, in a car and at a house in Dundrum. Anthony Hickey, 39, Fabio Vicente, 42, and Matin Zolfaghari, 34, were charged in February 2024 and convicted at the Central Criminal Court in February 2025. On 27 March 2025, Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced them to terms of 16, 16 and 14 years respectively with the final year suspended, though other reports cite terms of 15 and 13 years. All three men have since lodged appeals against their convictions and sentences.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court9 Apr
- Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced27 Mar
3 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A woman was raped and sexually assaulted by three men she met at a Dublin nightclub, in a car and at a house in Dundrum.
- Where
- The offences took place in a car and at Anthony Hickey's then-address in Dundrum, Dublin.
- When
- The offences took place on 31 August 2019.
- Cause
- Forensic analysis showed the woman was highly intoxicated at the time of the offences.
- Investigation
- CCTV footage identified the three men and a Volkswagen Touareg SUV belonging to Vicente, and analysis of Hickey's phone revealed WhatsApp messages in which he asked Zolfaghari to send a video of the assault.
- Zolfaghari recorded two video clips on the night of the offence, and a 30-second clip in the car shows the woman saying 'no' several times.
- Charges
- Hickey was convicted of raping the woman in his Dundrum address and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car; Vicente was found guilty of raping her in the car and in the house; Zolfaghari was convicted of orally raping her in the house but found not guilty of sexually assaulting her in the car.
- In court
- The three men were convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court in February 2025, with the woman giving evidence behind a screen and being cross-examined by three barristers for three days.
- Sentence
- On 27 March 2025, Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced Hickey to 16 years and Vicente to 16 years (each with the final year suspended) and Zolfaghari to 14 years (final year suspended), though other reports cite terms of 15 and 13 years.
- Other details
- All three men have lodged appeals against their convictions and sentences.
- Hickey, 39, is a personal trainer from Carrickmines with 10 previous convictions; Vicente, 42, is from Enniskerry with one previous conviction; Zolfaghari, 34, is from Rathfarnham with no previous convictions.
- The woman, identified as Kate, was told in February 2024 by a detective that three men had been charged.
52 statements extracted from the articles
- whatHickey was convicted of raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum (irishtimes.com)
- whatHickey was convicted of orally raping and sexually assaulting the woman in a car (irishtimes.com)
- whatZolfaghari was convicted of the oral rape of the woman in the house (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe woman was socialising and went to the nightclub with a friend (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman recalled being in the back of a vehicle she believed to be a taxi with up to four men where she was raped (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whatForensic analysis showed the woman was highly intoxicated (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatHickey was convicted of raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum, and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatVicente was found guilty of raping the woman in the car and raping her in Hickey's then-home. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe woman had been socialising and went to the nightclub with a friend. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe woman recalled being offered a white powder but could not say if she took any. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatIn a 30-second clip recorded in the car, the woman is heard saying 'no' several times. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatThree men were jailed for the rape and sexual assault of a woman they met in a Dublin nightclub (dublinlive.ie)
- whatZolfaghari recorded two video clips on the night of the offence (dublinlive.ie)
- whatHickey asked Zolfaghari to send him a video via WhatsApp and replied 'Listen to you laughing after she says no' (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe woman was raped by three men she encountered at a nightclub (irishtimes.com)
- whatAnthony Hickey, 39, is from Ballyogan in Carrickmines (irishtimes.com)
- whatFabio Vicente, 42, is from Enniskerry in Co Wicklow (irishtimes.com)
- whatMatin Zolfaghari, 34, is from Marley Court in Rathfarnham (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman was abused in the back of a car by one of the men (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe car pulled over and the woman thought it was a taxi driver (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe woman's next memory was being upstairs in a house, kicking someone off her (irishtimes.com)
- whatVideo clips of the assault by two of the men had been circulated (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe offences took place on 31 August 2019 (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe three men were convicted of raping the woman in August 2019 (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe woman's friend left the nightclub at 1am (irishtimes.com)
- whenIn February 2024 the woman was told by a detective that three men had been charged (irishtimes.com)
- investigationCCTV footage was used to identify the men and a Volkswagen Touareg SUV belonging to Vicente (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- investigationAn analysis of Hickey's phone identified WhatsApp messages in which he asked Zolfaghari to send him a video. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe woman's friend called the Rape Crisis Centre (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe three men were convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Paul Burns imposed the sentences (irishtimes.com, dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe jury found Zolfaghari not guilty of sexually assaulting the woman in the car (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe men were convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- courtMr Justice Paul Burns imposed the sentences on 27 March 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtAll three convicted men have lodged appeals against their convictions and sentences (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe woman gave her evidence behind a screen in court (irishtimes.com)
- courtCCTV footage was shown in court without the woman's forewarning (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe woman was cross-examined by three barristers for three days (irishtimes.com)
- courtOn the day of the verdict there were 25 people in the courtroom for the defendants (irishtimes.com)
- courtMr Justice Paul Burns limited each of the men to two supporters (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceHickey was sentenced to 16 years with the final year suspended on strict conditions (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- sentenceVicente was sentenced to 16 years with the final year suspended (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- sentenceZolfaghari was sentenced to 14 years with the final year suspended (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- sentenceThe judge directed the three men to place themselves under the supervision of The Probation Services for three years post-release (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe judge backdated their sentences to the date they went into custody (irishtimes.com)
- sentenceThe men were sentenced to terms of 15 and 13 years (irishtimes.com)
- otherHickey has 10 previous convictions including one for assault causing harm (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- otherVicente has one previous conviction for a road traffic offence (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- otherZolfaghari has no previous convictions (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- otherHickey is a personal trainer and father of two (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe three men do not accept the jury's verdicts (dublinlive.ie)
- otherThe woman has since married and has a daughter (irishtimes.com)
The reporting
newest first- 9 Apr2025‘One was always watching’: Woman raped by three men from nightclub said they acted like ‘predators’
The victim, identified only as Kate, gives an RTÉ interview describing the nightclub encounter, the assault in a car and a house, the court process including CCTV playback and three days of cross-examination, and the circulation of video clips of the assault. All three convicted men have lodged appeals against convictions and sentences.
victim, Kate, femaleKateconvicted, Anthony Hickey, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Hickeyconvicted, Fabio Vicente, 42, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Fabio Vicenteconvicted, Matin Zolfaghari, 34, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Matin Zolfaghari - 27 Mar2025Three jailed for 'depraved' rape of woman they met in Dublin nightclub
Provides full sentencing details: specific sentences (16, 16, 14 years with final year suspended), judge's remarks, victim impact statement, evidence including videos and forensic analysis, prior convictions, and post-release probation direction.
victim, femaleconvicted, Anthony Hickey, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Hickeyconvicted, Fabio Vicente, 42, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Fabio Vicenteconvicted, Matin Zolfaghari, 34, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Matin Zolfaghari - 27 Mar2025Scenes in court as three men jailed for 13 and 15 years over 'depraved' rape
Provides full sentencing details: individual sentences, the judge's remarks, the victim's impact statement, forensic and CCTV evidence, video evidence from the men's phones, prior convictions, and post-sentencing reactions in court.
victim, femaleconvicted, Anthony Hickey, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Hickeyconvicted, Fabio Vicente, 42, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Fabio Vicenteconvicted, Matin Zolfaghari, 34, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Matin Zolfaghari - 27 Mar2025Three men jailed for ‘cruel, cynical and depraved’ rape and sexual assault of woman they met in Dublin nightclub
Reports the full sentencing: Hickey 16 years (final year suspended), Vicente 16 years (final year suspended), Zolfaghari 14 years (final year suspended). Includes the judge's remarks, victim impact statement, forensic and CCTV evidence, phone messages, prior convictions, and post-release probation direction.
victim, femaleconvicted, Anthony Hickey, 39, male, named, irish (judged from name)Anthony Hickeyconvicted, Fabio Vicente, 42, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Fabio Vicenteconvicted, Matin Zolfaghari, 34, male, named, non-irish (judged from name)Matin Zolfaghari