Courts / Galway / Report
Mentally ill man jailed for attempted rape of child
Summary
A 24‑year‑old man, who was mentally ill and experiencing psychotic symptoms, was jailed for three and a half years after attempting to rape a seven‑year‑old girl who was in his mother's care. He took the child by the hand, brought her to a bedroom, and exposed himself. The child's mother, who was watching her children, ran in, saw the man with his penis out, and called the Gardaí. The man later admitted to the Gardaí that he intended to rape the child and that he was not in his right mind. He pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court. The judge, noting the child's age, the man's previous convictions and his psychiatric condition, imposed the sentence and ordered post‑release supervision. The victim's parents described the lasting trauma and expressed guilt for leaving the child alone that day.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Mentally ill man jailed for attempted rape of child. Charges or matters: attempted rape at his address in Co Galway on July 23, 2019. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 23, 2019 Incident
- October 2019 Incident
- 2021-04-09 Publication
Why: He accepted that defendant told gardaí that he was not in his right mind when he committed the offence and that man's parents had attempted to have him admitted to hospital weeks before the offence because he was displaying psychotic behaviour. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: attempted rape at his address in Co Galway on July 23, 2019 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: By Brion Hoban and Fiona Ferguson A mentally ill man who attempted to rape a child that was in his mother's care has been jailed for three and a half years. Mr Justice White imposed a sentence of three and a half years and ordered two and half years post release supervision.
Places mentioned
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