Courts / Wicklow / Report

Man jailed for 1986 rape of 13-year-old

Summary

In 2022, the Central Criminal Court sentenced Ian Ryan to three years' imprisonment for raping a 13‑year‑old girl in 1986. The case was brought to court after a 2021 anonymous letter prompted a Garda investigation. Ryan, then 18, had begun a relationship with the girl, who was 13, after meeting her at a disco in a rugby club. The court heard that the couple met at the victim's family home while her parents were away, and that Ryan asked her to use a condom, which she declined. He then forced sexual intercourse, which she described as painful and non‑consensual. The victim later became pregnant in December 1986. Ryan pleaded guilty in December 2021 to a separate rape charge. The judge, citing Ryan's age and background, imposed a four‑year sentence with the final year suspended, requiring participation in alcohol and violence‑prevention programmes and no contact with the victim. The victim, aged 50, waived her anonymity.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man jailed for 1986 rape of 13-year-old. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• August 1986 Incident
• January 1 Incident
• March 31, 1986 Incident
• 2022-04-27 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Sentence Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report