Courts / Kildare / Report

Man jailed for raping sleeping woman

Summary

Brian Byrne, aged 28, was found guilty of raping a sleeping woman at a house party in County Kildare on 21 June 2015. The trial, held in Dublin's Central Criminal Court, lasted one week and concluded with a verdict of guilty. Byrne pleaded not guilty but admitted that sexual intercourse had taken place. The victim, who was fully dressed and asleep, woke to find Byrne behind her and was forced to flee to her sister's room. In her impact statement, she described the day as a turning point that shattered her life and left her feeling unsafe and trapped. Byrne's defence highlighted his otherwise unblemished character, employment, and sporting activities, but the judge noted the predatory nature of the attack. He was sentenced to five years' imprisonment, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody details in the article.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man jailed for raping sleeping woman. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• June 21, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2020-07-31 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report