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Violent rapist jailed for 15 years as judge says "he needs to be removed from society"

Summary

In December 2016, Judge Tony Hunt sentenced 57‑year‑old Richard O'Brien to 15 years' imprisonment for raping a grandmother in Dublin on 19 March 2011. O'Brien lured the victim to a caravan, assaulted her, bit her and raped her, then fled to the UK before being extradited in 2013. He had earlier been convicted of rape and false imprisonment in 2015, receiving a six‑year sentence back‑dated to his extradition. At the 2016 sentencing, O'Brien repeatedly disrupted proceedings, calling the victim a "filthy prostitute". The judge described the harm as "very very great indeed" with long‑term damage, noting the victim's nightmares, relationship breakdown and suicidal thoughts. O'Brien's sentence was back‑dated to August 2015, with post‑release supervision for three years and a requirement to notify authorities of his address under the Sex Offenders Act. The victim's impact statement highlighted the lasting psychological and familial effects of the attack.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Violent rapist jailed for 15 years as judge says "he needs to be removed from society". Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• March 19, 2011 Incident
• 2016-12-12 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report