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Man jailed for raping his cousin 20 years ago when they were both children

Date
2026-04-17
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

A 39-year-old man has been jailed for 12 months and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for one week post-release for raping his cousin when they were both children. He pleaded guilty to one count of anal rape and one of oral rape, which occurred between 2000 and 2002 when he was aged between 13 and 15 and his cousin was between eight and ten years old. The court heard that the abuse took place in the defendant's bedroom, where the younger boy was manipulated into participating in the acts. The judge noted the significant age gap and the breach of trust, which were aggravating factors. She imposed a headline sentence of seven years for an adult, reduced it by half to reflect the defendant's age at the time, and suspended the final 12 months. The victim, who did not identify the abuser publicly, described the long-lasting emotional trauma and the impact on his family.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man jailed for raping his cousin 20 years ago when they were both children. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Unnamed 39-year-old

Defendant

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: By Eimear Dodd A man who raped his cousin when they were both children has been jailed for 12 months and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for one week post-release. Having considered the man's circumstances and that the offending took place over 20 years ago, she imposed a sentence of two years, with the final 12 months suspended on strict conditions.

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention

Topics

Stage Sentence

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