Courts / Ireland / Report
Defence Forces member jailed for raping teen babysitter 40 years ago
Summary
A retired Defence Forces member, aged 78, was sentenced to eight years in prison for raping a teenage babysitter, an incident that occurred in 1981. The victim, then about 13 or 14, was alone in the defendant's home while she was babysitting his children. He pleaded guilty to one count of rape at the Central Criminal Court. The judge described the offence as very serious, noting the defendant's exploitation of the victim's trust and lack of consent. The sentence, reduced from an initial 11 years, includes a two‑year suspended portion and requires the defendant to be supervised by Probation Services and to participate in a sexual offending programme. The victim's impact statement highlighted lifelong trauma, severe PTSD, and ongoing psychological treatment. The defendant has no prior convictions and is considered low risk of re‑offending.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Defence Forces member jailed for raping teen babysitter 40 years ago. Charges or matters: one count of rape. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- May 2023 Incident
- 2025-10-29 Publication
Why: "He raped her because he wanted to, knowing she was a child and couldn't possibly consent to sexual intercourse. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: one count of rape (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Defence Forces has been jailed for six years for raping his child's teenage babysitter over 40 years ago. Mr Justice Paul McDermott today handed the man a sentence of eight years with the final two years suspended on strict conditions.; The man was sitting in the body of the court with two women during the sentence finalisation.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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