Man (25) jailed for six years for raping and attacking former partner

A man who raped his then partner after beating her with a sweeping brush has been jailed for six years.

The man (25) pleaded guilty before the Central Criminal Court to charges of rape, assault causing harm and production of an article at an address in Co Clare on September 11th, 2018.

A detective garda told prosecutor Michael Delaney SC that the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was in a relationship with the woman for around a year prior to the incident.

The detective said that in the days prior to the offences, the man became increasingly paranoid about perceived infidelity on the victim’s part. He took her phone and went through it looking for evidence that she was cheating on him.

On the afternoon in question, the woman returned from work to their home and noticed there was smoke everywhere, the couch had been pulled apart and clothes were scattered around.

The man asked about a shirt he had found and began assaulting the woman. The man, who was holding a knife, pushed the woman to the ground and demanded that she say sorry.

Get away

The court heard he hit the woman with a sweeping brush and threw the knife into a wall. He then pushed the woman onto a bed, told her to shut up and began raping her. The woman managed to get away from him after the rape and gardaí­ were called to the scene.

The man has 40 previous convictions, including convictions for assault causing harm, assault, breaching a barring order and public order offences.

In her victim impact statement, which she read to the court, the woman said she knew the accused had issues with his mental health. She said he had taken her phone from her previously so she had no way to call for help.

The woman said that while the attack was happening she feared for her life and was glad, for her own safety and that of others, her attacker is in custody.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott suspended the final 18 months of a 7½ year prison term on various conditions including that the man continue to take his prescribed medication and abstain from non-prescribed intoxicants. He also placed him on a post release supervision order for six years.