Courts / Dublin / Report

Three years for marital rape after wife pleads for leniency

Date
2019-01-21
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

A 37‑year‑old man was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with the last two years suspended, for raping his wife in their Dublin home on 30 August 2015. He was convicted in July 2016 after a trial at the Central Criminal Court. The court found him not guilty of assault causing harm to the woman. He denied all charges but later accepted the jury verdict and apologised to his wife. During the assault he ripped her clothes and covered her face to stop her from screaming. The wife, who lives with their two children and her mother‑in‑law, has repeatedly stated that she forgives her husband and does not want him to go to prison. She has written several statements to the court and Gardaí, expressing forgiveness and regret for bringing the case, and describing her husband as a good father with a good heart. The unnamed man was acquitted.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Three years for marital rape after wife pleads for leniency. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Acquitted

When:

Case subjects

Unnamed man

Convicted Person

Finding: Acquitted

Outcome: Acquitted; A man has been jailed for three years for the rape of his wife after she told the court she forgives him and does not want him to go to prison. Mr Justice Coffey said the court must also consider the fact that she has said she will suffer more if her husband is jailed.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Central Criminal Court
Incident

Topics

Sexual Offences Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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