Courts / Ireland / Report
15.5 years for father who drugged children during sleepovers and recorded himself raping daughter's friend
Summary
A 47-year-old man has been jailed for 15 years and six months for drugging his daughter and her friends during sleepovers and recording himself raping one of the girls. The man pleaded guilty to multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, child cruelty, and possession of child pornography. The court heard that the man invited his daughter's friend on a sleepover, drugged her with sleeping pills and muscle relaxants, and then raped her in the woods. The man's phone was seized by gardaí, revealing encrypted footage of the rape and child abuse images. The victims, including the man's daughters and their friends, made victim impact statements detailing the severe emotional and psychological trauma they experienced. The judge noted the breach of trust and the deliberate recording of the abuse as aggravating factors. The man expressed remorse and the judge considered his guilty plea and lack of prior convictions as mitigating factors. The sentence was reduced from a headline of 17 years due to the man's cooperation and remorse.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 15.5 years for father who drugged children during sleepovers and recorded himself raping daughter's friend. Charges or matters: eight sample counts at the Central Criminal Court pertaining to five victims – his two teenage daughters, his younger daughter's two friends and a friend of the older girl. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- June 2024 Incident
- July 2025 Incident
- 2026-07-30 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: eight sample counts at the Central Criminal Court pertaining to five victims – his two teenage daughters, his younger daughter's two friends and a friend of the older girl (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: By Isabel Hayes and Eimear Dodd A man who drugged his daughter and her friends during a sleepover, before raping one of the girls during a purported game of hide and seek in the woods, has been jailed for 15 years and a half years. Having considered the mitigation, the judge imposed a global sentence of 17 years, with the final 18 months suspended for five years on strict conditions which include probation supervision.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- I view
Topics
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