Man jailed for six years for rape of sleeping woman

A 25-year-old man has been jailed for six years for the rape and sexual assault of a woman at her home in Cork four years ago.

The woman, who woke up to find a friend raping her in her family home in Cork, has said that in the aftermath of the attack that she walked into a church and asked God to take her.

The accused was convicted by a jury following a trial on a charge of rape and a charge of sexual assault on 27 January 2020.

Ms Justice Eileen Creedon said the woman had been entitled to feel safe in her own environment but had been raped and sexually assaulted by someone she knew in her own home.

She said the accused had taken advantage of the victim's vulnerability as she was clearly intoxicated.

The judge said it was clear these events had an impact on the mental health, as well as the emotional and physical well-being of the young woman.

She noted the accused had maintained it was consensual at the time but reports before the court indicated he now had a better understanding of consent and accepted informed consent could not have been forthcoming as both parties were intoxicated.

Ms Justice Creedon set headline sentences of eight years for the rape and five years for the sexual assault.

She noted in mitigation he had accepted the jury verdict and expressed remorse. She also took into account his stable family circumstances, character references and good work history.

The judge imposed concurrent sentences totalling seven years with the final year suspended.