Violent convicted stalker sexually assaulted wife in woods

A man with convictions for stalking and harassment of former partners was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar, County Mayo, of sexually assaulting his wife in Galway city on October 13, 2017. The 42-year-old man was convicted of two counts of sexual assault and one count of assault causing harm. A jury was unable to reach a verdict on a rape charge, which the Director of Public Prosecutions subsequently dropped with the victim's support. The court heard the man forced his wife to accompany him to a wooded area following an incident at a church where she had sought shelter with other homeless women. Evidence included CCTV footage of the assault. The victim provided an impact statement describing ongoing trauma and psychological effects. The man, who has 24 previous convictions in Ireland and more serious convictions in the United Kingdom, has been in custody since April 2019. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart adjourned sentencing to December 1.