A man convicted of assaulting, raping and coercively controlling his partner over a six-week period has had his appeal against conviction dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Dean Ward, aged 38, formerly of County Wexford, was sentenced to seventeen years imprisonment following his conviction in June 2022 on twelve offences committed between June and July 2019. The offences, which occurred while the victim resided in Killybegs, County Donegal, included four assaults, false imprisonment, threats to kill, rape and coercive control. Mr Justice John Edwards rejected Ward's arguments that victim testimony regarding previous attempted killings and evidence of financial control were prejudicial. The court found such evidence was relevant and probative, and that the trial judge correctly declined to discharge the jury. Ward, who has nine previous convictions including a prior false imprisonment conviction, maintains his innocence and does not accept the jury verdict.
Source links
Original report plus public source leads and related archive reports used for review context.
Public source leads
- Man jailed for coercive control phoned woman 5,757 times in four months - The Irish Times The Irish Times · Tue, 11 Feb 2020 08:00:00 GMT
- Man jailed for 17 years for coercive control, rape and assault of partner - BreakingNews.ie BreakingNews.ie · Thu, 28 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT
- Man (21) jailed for sexual assault and coercive control of his ex-girlfriend - BreakingNews.ie BreakingNews.ie · Fri, 23 May 2025 07:00:00 GMT
- Dean Ward: Thug who beat and raped woman during six-week relationship to remain in prison - Sunday World Sunday World · Mon, 15 Dec 2025 08:00:00 GMT
-
€50m write-off of Iarnród Éireann IT project a 'scandal' - RTÉ
rte.ie
1 day ago · The Dáil Public Accounts Committee has heard that a €50 million write-off by Iarnród Éireann of a failed IT project is an "absolute scandal".
Related court reports
-
Criminal who raped and controlled partner rejects jury verdict, court hears
Courts News Ireland · 2025-05-06
A man convicted of raping, assaulting and coercively controlling a woman over a six-week period has appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal, arguing his trial...
-
Victim speaks after coercive control rapist who targeted women through dating sites gets 17 years
Courts News Ireland · 2022-07-28
A man convicted of rape, assault and coercive control has been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court. Dean Ward targeted the woman through an...
-
Jury verdict 'like black cloud being lifted', abuse survivor tells court
Courts News Ireland · 2024-04-22
A man has been sentenced to three years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction for sexual assault. Paul O'Brien, aged 47, of Forest Park,...
-
Sex abuse victim tells court she felt she lived life "in a prison"
Courts News Ireland · 2017-05-08
A woman who endured sexual abuse as a child has described feeling imprisoned by the trauma throughout her life. The victim gave evidence at the Central Criminal Court...
-
Woman raped by partner declined counselling as notes could be used against her at trial
Courts News Ireland · 2025-01-17
A man from Letterkenny, County Donegal, has been sentenced to ten years in prison following his conviction on charges of rape. The Central Criminal Court in Castlebar,...