Shane Noonan jailed for rape of colleague at house party

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

Shane Noonan was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on 17 July 2023 to eight years for rape, with the final year suspended on conditions including an assessment for a sex offender treatment programme.

Noonan pleaded guilty to raping Ciara Mangan at a house party in Castlebar on 11 May 2013. The proceedings were reported on 17 July 2023.

Ms Justice Eileen Creedon described the rape as cold, predatory and premeditated and said Ms Mangan had received no assistance from Noonan afterwards. Ms Mangan told the court that colleagues later subjected her to rape comments and songs at the restaurant where they worked. Defence counsel Damien Colgan SC said Noonan did not participate in the workplace comments, which he said were directed at both Ms Mangan and Noonan.

The judge said the guilty plea was the most significant mitigating factor and noted Noonan’s apology and lack of previous and subsequent offending. A forensic psychological report placed him at low risk of reoffending. Colgan said the Probation Service had assessed him as at medium risk of reoffending and that Noonan was willing to cooperate with it.