Courts / Carlow / Report

Rapist who attacked visiting student in her home fails in appeal

Date
2021-03-26

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Carlow

County
Carlow

Summary

Ibrahim Gharib, 42, an Egyptian national, was convicted in November 2017 of rape, sexual assault and threatening to kill or seriously injure a 27‑year‑old visiting student on 7 and 8 July 2016. The assault began on a bus when Gharib groped the student, who resisted and later texted for help. He followed her home, forced entry, masturbated in front of her, threatened her, and raped her on a carpeted stairway. Witness testimony, the victim's injuries, her text messages, and semen evidence supported the conviction. Gharib's appeal argued the doctor's testimony about carpet debris was unreliable, but the Court of Appeal found the evidence overwhelming and dismissed the appeal. The case was heard at the Central Criminal Court, with the judge noting the victim's clear recollection and the presence of an eyewitness to the rape.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Rapist who attacked visiting student in her home fails in appeal. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted

When:

November 2017 Incident
July 7 Incident
2021-03-26 Publication

Why: Gharib's lawyers argued to the appeal court that his trial was unfair because a doctor who examined the victim gave evidence that he found debris in her perineal area that was "consistent with carpet". CNI source report