Guest who assaulted married woman as she lay in bed beside her husband jailed for 18 months
A man who who sexually assaulted a married woman as she lay in bed with her husband has been jailed for 18 months.
Matthew Reilly of Billeragh West, Araglen, County Cork, who is originally from Leeds was sentenced to three years with half of it suspended by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.
The judge said: “He assaulted the woman in her own bed with her husband – a very serious incursion on her privacy and freedom.”
The injured party told the court: “We were in a complete state of shock for at least two weeks after the assault, unable to process anything.
“I could not be left alone at night and still find it very difficult. Neither of us has been able to sleep properly since the incident. Our bedroom which was once a safe haven has been destroyed.
“I have had to endure gossip, lies and rumours about myself which have compounded my lack of confidence.
“I cannot comprehend or come to terms with what happened or what could have happened if my husband hadn’t been with me. Your bed should be your safe place and Matt Reilly has destroyed that for both of us.
“I feel extremely sorry for Matt’s family who are also innocent victims in this mess. Two families have been torn apart by his actions on that night. There are no winners here today.
“I feel it is my responsibility to protect other women from men like Matt who seem to think sexual assault is acceptable and comes without consequence.”
Garda Denise Fitzgerald said the parties had been socialising together and the defendant ended up on the couch downstairs staying overnight when the injured party and her husband went upstairs to sleep in their own bedroom.
The injured party’s husband woke to hear the defendant entering another room upstairs in the early hours and told him to leave.
Reilly returned to the room downstairs.
Garda Fitzgerald said that at 4.30am. the injured party woke up to find Reilly lying behind her in the bed with his fingers in her vagina. Both the injured party and her husband got up out of bed. Reilly ran down the stairs and pretended to be asleep on the couch. He was asked to leave.
He pleaded guilty to the sexual assault.
Defence barrister Ray Boland said: “It is obviously a very serious case. He is coming before the court at 34 with no previous conviction.”
