Courts / Dublin / Report
Romanian national claimed sex abuse of boy at homeless hub was 'playful'
Summary
A 32‑year‑old Romanian national, Gheorghe Rafaila, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting a three‑year‑old boy at a Dublin homeless hub. The court found that Rafaila had touched the child's genitals in a courtyard while his wife was present, an act that lasted about four minutes. He claimed the act was "playful" in the Roma community, but the judge rejected this defence. Rafaila pleaded guilty and was extradited from the UK to face the charges. The judge imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence, suspending the final year, and ordered Rafaila to leave Ireland upon release. He was also required to demonstrate good behaviour for one year after his release. The sentence was back‑dated to the date he entered UK custody in October 2022. The court noted the child's young age as an aggravating factor. The mother of the child gave a victim impact statement, which was not read aloud.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Romanian national claimed sex abuse of boy at homeless hub was 'playful'. Charges or matters: sexually assaulting the toddler while both were resident at a Dublin hotel on July 22, 2019. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 22, 2019 Incident
- October 14 Incident
- 2023-03-08 Publication
Why: " Rafaila's defence barrister has submitted that while the assault was "reprehensible" in our society, his client had denied that there was any sexual motive behind his actions. Defence account reported by CNI
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: sexually assaulting the toddler while both were resident at a Dublin hotel on July 22, 2019 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: At a hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today, Judge Martin Nolan handed down a two-and-a-half year sentence but suspended the final year on the basis that the sexual assault was at the lower range of offending. The sentence was backdated to last October 14, when Rafaila went into custody in the UK.
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