Courts / Cork / Report

Rough sleeper raped intoxicated woman (20) who lay down to sleep in park

Summary

Dermot O'Connor, aged 49, was jailed for five and a half years after pleading guilty to raping a 20‑year‑old woman in a public park on 21 July 2019. The victim, who was intoxicated and had separated from her friends, had gone to sleep in the park and was assaulted while sleeping. O'Connor first sexually assaulted her and left, then returned to rape her again. The victim gave a victim impact statement, describing anxiety, depression and fear of being alone after the assault. Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, hearing the case, noted the opportunistic nature of the attack and the delays caused by the pandemic. He imposed a six‑year sentence, suspended the final six months, and took into account the absence of prior sexual offending and the victim's relief at the guilty plea. The investigation involved 60 witness statements, 300 hours of CCTV footage and DNA evidence linking O'Connor to the assault.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Rough sleeper raped intoxicated woman (20) who lay down to sleep in park. Charges or matters: rape at the park on July 21, 2019. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• July 21, 2019 Incident
• 2021-07-30 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report