Courts / Westmeath / Report

'I ask that you don't let this be the defining moment of your life': gang rape victim addresses attacker

Date
2022-05-30

Stage
Finding

Primary locality
Kilbeggan

Summary

Five men were convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of sexually assaulting and raping a 17-year-old Leaving Cert student in December 2016. The defendants are Gabriel Gomes Da Rocha, Eduardo Dias Ferreira Filho, Ethan Nikolaou, Marcos De Silva Umbelino, and Conor Byrne. Byrne entered a guilty plea to rape, while the other four men denied all charges but were found guilty of various counts of sexual assault, rape, and false imprisonment. The jury reached unanimous verdicts after a four-week trial. During the proceedings, the victim addressed the court, expressing her trauma and PTSD. She specifically addressed Byrne, acknowledging his admission of guilt and asking him not to let this be the defining moment of his life. She stated she would not forgive the other four men, who she said showed no remorse. The defence lawyers for all five men stated they accepted the jury verdicts and highlighted their clients' remorse. Ms Justice Tara Burns adjourned the case to 2pm on Thursday for finalisation. The five men were remanded in custody pending that finalisation.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'I ask that you don't let this be the defining moment of your life': gang rape victim addresses attacker. Charges or matters: oral rape at the car-park; sexual assault and rape; sexually assaulting the victim on the initial journey and of orally raping the girl at the car-park; sexually assaulting the girl on the car journey out of town; sexually assaulting the girl on the journey out of the town and of sexually assaulting her at the spot in Kilbeggan; raping the girl on the night. Procedural stage: finding. Findings: Convicted

When:

December 27, 2016 Incident
April 7 Hearing Or Sentence
2022-05-30 Publication

Why: She said the events of the night consumed her mind "because I was so stupid to get into that car" and she dropped out of a number of college courses. CNI source report

Case subjects

Conor Byrne

Defendant

Charges: oral rape at the car-park; sexual assault and rape; sexually assaulting the victim on the initial journey and of orally raping the girl at the car-park; sexually assaulting the girl on the car journey out of town; sexually assaulting the girl on the journey out of the town and of sexually assaulting her at the spot in Kilbeggan; raping the girl on the night (Proven)

Plea: Guilty

Finding: Convicted