'I'll never forgive or forget what happened that night': Man who raped woman to be sentenced

A Mayo man who threw a woman across a lane way to avoid being captured on CCTV before raping her will be sentenced later this week.

'I'll never forgive or forget what happened that night': Man who raped woman to be sentenced

A Mayo man who threw a woman across a lane way to avoid being captured on CCTV before raping her will be sentenced later this week.

The man (27), who cannot be named to protect his victim's identity, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the woman on May 16, 2015 in a Co Mayo town.

In her victim impact statement the 41-year-old woman told the court that the man bit her lip during the incident, “You wouldn't do that to a dog,” she said.

The court heard the man was disgusted with himself and described the victim as "a lovely woman who didn't deserve to be treated like this.”

A local detective garda told John Gordon SC, prosecuting, that the woman did some shopping and visited various bars and a bookies on May 16, 2015.

The pair, who had known each other for a year, met by chance in a pub in the town and shared a cigarette and some drinks before visiting a takeaway.

The detective garda told Mr Gordon the man then "coaxed his victim into a lane way and forced her down onto steps in a very aggressive manner."

The court heard the man then picked the woman up and threw her to the opposite side of the lane way in order to avoid a CCTV camera capturing the incident.

The man told her he had a blade and would use it if she did not do what he wanted.

He forced her to engage in a sexual act and then raped her, the detective garda said. Following the incident he told her: "Tell anyone about this and I'll slash your throat."

The victim dressed herself and made her way to a nearby pub where she told the landlady what had taken place. Soon afterwards she flagged down a passing garda patrol car and reported the rape.

"She had bruising to her face, whiplash from being thrown and a small bite mark on her lip," the detective garda told the court.

In her victim impact statement the woman said she was never as afraid in her entire life when the man brought her down the lane way.

"I was afraid of being killed, I knew I had to do what I was told.”

"Afterwards he ran off like the coward he is. I didn't deserve to be raped. I'll never forgive or forget what happened that night," the woman told the court.

Michael Bowman SC, defending, said the man made full admissions to gardai and entered a guilty plea at an early stage.

"He is from a decent family and is now marked out forever in a small community as a rapist; that's a significant stigma," Mr Bowman said.

Mr Justice Paul Butler deferred finalisation of sentencing until June 1st.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

National Risk Assessment for Ireland Tánaiste urges Israel ‘to show humanity’ and allow more aid into Gaza
Lego set based on RNLI lifeboat could soon become a reality Lego set based on RNLI lifeboat could soon become a reality
Travel Stock - Geneva - Switzerland UN human rights body calls for repeal or amendment of Troubles legacy laws
War_map
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited