Donegal man jailed for seven years for sexual assault of partner’s best friend

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Richard Walsh, 32, of Lisminton, Ballintra, was jailed for seven years for sexually assaulting his partner’s best friend while she slept at his home in Ballintra in December 2020. Walsh had pleaded guilty to the offence at the Central Criminal Court.

Justice Tony Hunt set an eight-year headline sentence, reduced to seven years to reflect the guilty plea. He ordered Walsh to undergo three years of supervision after release and to engage in offence-focused work, including victim awareness. The judge said the apology carried little weight and that the plea was compelled by independent corroborating evidence.