Courts / Cork / Report

Teen raped sleeping woman whose boyfriend was in same bed

Summary

Patrick O'Driscoll, aged 21, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury in Cork of raping a sleeping woman on 10 May 2016 while her boyfriend slept beside her. The victim, who remains anonymous, stated that the assault occurred from behind and that she tried to wake her boyfriend, leading to a confrontation. O'Driscoll denied the charge, claiming he had been invited to sleep in the bed, a claim refuted by the boyfriend. He was arrested for a public order offence before the full extent of the incident was known. O'Driscoll, who has 37 prior district‑court convictions, was sentenced to ten years, reduced to seven years by the judge to account for mitigating factors such as his young age and personal circumstances. He remains in custody. The court noted no restriction on publishing his identity but advised caution in reporting the location. The victim's impact statement described lasting emotional harm, nightmares, and feelings of shame and anger.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Teen raped sleeping woman whose boyfriend was in same bed. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

• May 10, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2019-07-23 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Public Order Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report