Courts / Carlow / Report
Rapist preyed on young woman while posing as victim of online sex blackmail
Summary
Adam Roche, aged 27, was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison, with an 18‑month suspended portion, for a series of sexual offences committed between August 2015 and January 2018. He used 125,000 messages to pose as victims of online blackmail, threatening a young woman with harm to her pet or the release of intimate images unless she performed non‑consensual sexual acts with him. Roche also threatened to disseminate her photographs and coerced her into sending video proof of sexual acts. He pleaded guilty to rape, anal rape, oral rape, aggravated sexual assault and possession of child pornography. The judge noted the manipulation, the victim's trust in Roche, and the profound impact on her life, and imposed a sentence that reflected the seriousness and repetition of the offences while taking into account his guilty plea and remorse. The woman was ordered to be kept away from Roche and his associates permanently.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Rapist preyed on young woman while posing as victim of online sex blackmail. Charges or matters: counts of sexual assault, rape, anal rape, oral rape and aggravated sexual assault on dates between August 2015 and January 2018. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- August 2015 Incident
- January 2018 Incident
- 2023-11-13 Publication
Why: Gardai discovered Roche had been using online platforms to send messages to the woman in a variety of ways using fake accounts in false names in order to coerce her into non-consensual sexual acts. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: counts of sexual assault, rape, anal rape, oral rape and aggravated sexual assault on dates between August 2015 and January 2018 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence today, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said this was a repetitive, serious, and systematic process of sexual abuse of the injured party over two years, arising from the abuse of trust the woman had in Roche. The judge reduced the sentence to 10 and a half years and suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions to incentivise rehabilitation and good behaviour.
Places mentioned
- The Central Criminal Court
- Roche's house
Topics
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