Courts / Dublin / Report
'Devoid of any human decency': gang rapists get combined 43 years
Summary
Three men—Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34)—were sentenced at the Central Criminal Court for a gang rape and sexual assault that occurred on 31 August 2019 in a Dublin nightclub. Hickey received 16 years, with the final year suspended; Vicente also received 16 years, suspended; Zolfaghari received 14 years, suspended. All three pleaded not guilty. The judge described the conduct as "cruel, cynical and depraved" and noted the victim was in a vulnerable state. The court directed the men to be supervised by Probation Services for three years after release and back‑dated their sentences to the date of custody. The sentencing hearing included the victim's impact statement, in which she accused the men of recording and sharing videos of the assault and of laughing at her refusal. The judge emphasised that blame rested solely with the men and praised the Garda investigation. No further legal outcomes are mentioned in the article. Anthony Hickey was convicted. Fabio Vicente was found guilty. Matin Zolfaghari was convicted.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Devoid of any human decency': gang rapists get combined 43 years. Charges or matters: raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car; raping the woman in the car and raping her in Hickey's then-home; the oral rape of the woman in the house; only one offence, but this had to be seen in overall context of the night, and that Zolfaghari had recorded the videos. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted; Found guilty
When:
- August 31, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 31 Other
- September 2020 Incident
- December 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 9, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 10, 2020 Other
- September 9, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2025-03-27 Publication
Why: You laughed because you didn't care and you have shown no remorse from the second you entered into these courts. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car; raping the woman in the car and raping her in Hickey's then-home; the oral rape of the woman in the house; only one offence, but this had to be seen in overall context of the night, and that Zolfaghari had recorded the videos (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) were convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court last month, after pleading not guilty to offences which took place on August 31, 2019. "To say the facts of this matter are disturbing is something of an understatement," Mr Justice Paul Burns noted in imposing sentence day.
Convicted Person
Charges: raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car; raping the woman in the car and raping her in Hickey's then-home; the oral rape of the woman in the house; only one offence, but this had to be seen in overall context of the night, and that Zolfaghari had recorded the videos (Proven)
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) were convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court last month, after pleading not guilty to offences which took place on August 31, 2019. "To say the facts of this matter are disturbing is something of an understatement," Mr Justice Paul Burns noted in imposing sentence day.
Convicted Person
Charges: raping the woman in his then address in Dundrum and of orally raping and sexually assaulting her in a car; raping the woman in the car and raping her in Hickey's then-home; the oral rape of the woman in the house; only one offence, but this had to be seen in overall context of the night, and that Zolfaghari had recorded the videos (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Anthony Hickey (39), Fabio Vicente (42) and Matin Zolfaghari (34) were convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court last month, after pleading not guilty to offences which took place on August 31, 2019. "To say the facts of this matter are disturbing is something of an understatement," Mr Justice Paul Burns noted in imposing sentence day.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Ballyogan Square
- Dublin
- Enniskerry
- Wicklow
- Rathfarnham
- Public Prosecution's view
Topics
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