Courts / Wicklow / Report
Garda guilty of sexually assaulting woman he imprisoned in station
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda William Ryan (41) was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment after a jury deliberated for about three and a half hours. The case centred on an incident at Aughrim Garda Station on 29 September 2020, when a woman sought help to retrieve her son's car. Ryan allegedly prevented her from leaving the station, slapped her bottom, groped her breasts, and sexually assaulted her again by digitally penetrating her vagina. He claimed the encounters were consensual, citing a prior phone conversation and the woman's Snapchat photos. The prosecution described his testimony as implausible and "badly‑written erotica." Ryan was remanded in custody until a sentencing date of 7 October, with the judge noting his status as a serving Garda and his family responsibilities. The trial concluded with the jury issuing a unanimous guilty verdict. William Ryan pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Garda guilty of sexually assaulting woman he imprisoned in station. Charges or matters: three counts of sexual assault and not guilty to one count of false imprisonment of the woman at Aughrim Garda Station, Main Street, Aughrim, Co Wicklow on September 29, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- September 29, 2020 Incident
- October 7 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2024-07-26 Publication
Why: He alleged the woman then followed him upstairs and masturbated him in a shower room, while facing away from him at his direction because it was during the Covid pandemic. CNI source report
Case subjects
Applicant
Charges: three counts of sexual assault and not guilty to one count of false imprisonment of the woman at Aughrim Garda Station, Main Street, Aughrim, Co Wicklow on September 29, 2020 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Judge Elma Sheahan thanked the jury for its service and set a sentence date of October 7.; She remanded him in custody until the sentence date.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- who came to the garda station
- the woman at Aughrim Garda Station
- Aughrim
- complainant from leaving Aughrim Garda Station
- had gone to the garda station
- she come to the garda station
- that she left the garda station
- Main Street
- Aughrim
Topics
Related court reports
- Six years for Garda's sex attack on woman he imprisoned in station
- Jury deliberating in trial of garda accused of station sex assault
- Garda's version of alleged sex assault like 'badly-written erotica', State tells jury
- Garda and complainant partook in consensual sexual activity at station, defence say
- Accused garda told woman to 'wear something tight' before alleged sex attack, jury hears
- Serving garda alleged to have repeatedly sexually assaulted woman after locking her into station
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