Courts / Leitrim / Report
Rapist attacked guest in bathroom of his home
Summary
Dilzar Hamad, a 40-year-old barber from Carrick on Shannon, Co Leitrim, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court for the rape of a woman who was a guest in his home in early 2021. A jury convicted Hamad in March 2025 following a retrial after a hung jury in 2024. He pleaded not guilty and continues to deny the offence, claiming it was consensual. Mr Justice David Keane set a headline sentence of nine years but reduced it to eight years, citing mitigating factors including Hamad's good character, cooperation with gardai, and good prison behavior. The judge noted that Hamad's refusal to accept the verdict meant he demonstrated no remorse or rehabilitation. A probation report indicated a high risk of re-offending in the next 12 months due to factors such as hostility towards women and sexual preoccupation. The judge ordered two years of post-release supervision with strict conditions to protect the public. The victim stated in her impact statement that the offence changed her life forever and she no longer feels safe. The prosecution argued the case fell into the 'more serious' band, while the defense submitted it was standard. Hamad has no previous convictions.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Rapist attacked guest in bathroom of his home. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- February 2021 Incident
- August 2021 Incident
- March 2024 Incident
- March 2025 Incident
- 2026-01-19 Publication
Why: He ordered two years post-release supervision with strict conditions in order to protect the public, limit the risk of him committing a further sexual offence and rehabilitate if possible. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Mr Justice Keane imposed an eight-year sentence, taking into account the mitigating factors. He said Hamad had an absolute entitlement to protest his innocence and pursue an appeal but it followed from that stance that there was no reality to promoting rehabilitation and no logical basis to suspend any portion of the sentence.
Places mentioned
- Carrick on Shannon
- Public Prosecution's view
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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