Gardai rescued woman from Tinder rapist after telling her to hang towel from balcony

Christopher Feeney (58) was found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of rape and sexual assault following a trial last September. The offences occurred at his home in Millbrook, Riverside, Sligo on 26 April 2015. The victim, then aged 54, met Feeney through a dating application and accompanied him to his apartment. During an assault lasting approximately one hour, the woman was pinned down and raped. She managed to contact gardaí, who instructed her to hang a towel from the balcony to identify his location. Officers arrived shortly thereafter and arrested Feeney. He was convicted on four counts, including rape and sexual assault, though the jury could not agree on a false imprisonment charge. Mr Justice David Keane indicated an intention to impose a nine-year sentence, with a portion potentially suspended pending a Probation Services report. The matter was adjourned for finalisation on 28 March 2022. Feeney, who had fled Ireland and was subsequently arrested in the UK in 2019, has remained in custody since his return.