A 18 YEAR OLD Cork man who raped his best friend's mother has been jailed for seven years by the Central Criminal Court.
The man, head bowed and in tears, apologised from the witness box for what he done to his victim, his family and his friends by his actions.
Mr Justice Lavan said the case was a tragic one for the victim, the defendant's family and the defendant himself, whose life had been tarnished forever.
He said the victim impact report showed the woman still suffered panic attacks and would continue to have problems for a considerable time. She didn't trust people anymore, was afraid even to go shopping or to the city alone, didn't socialise as much as before, and the rape had affected her work and promotion prospects.
Mr Justice Lavan said he had given the case long and careful consideration and was not satisfied the court had been given an explanation for "the appalling violence of the attack".
Last October, the defendant pleaded guilty to two charges of raping the woman on February 2nd, 1996. The court made an order prohibiting publication of the defendant's name to protect his victim's identity.
Det Garda Eamonn O'Connor said the man was often in the victim's house due to the friendship with her family. She was on her own when he called there on the night in question on a message. They drank coffee and later he wanted a drink of water.
The defendant told gardai he was feeling sexually aroused while in the kitchen having the water and decided he wanted to have sex with the woman. He picked up the knife and told her to undress. When she screamed he told her to shut up or he would stab her.
Det Garda O'Connor told Mr Sean Ryan SC, prosecuting, the woman offered the man money when he threatened her. He failed at first to have sexual intercourse and asked her to perform oral sex. She said she didn't know how and he gave her instructions. He then raped her twice.
She got the knife from him after that and told him to leave. She then telephoned her nephews who lived nearby. The defendant was outside banging on her door asking to be allowed back in to say he was sorry. He saw the nephews running towards the house with hurleys and ran off.
When gardai called to his home the had not arrived back but later his father telephoned gardai to say he had returned. He was arrested and admitted everything.
Del Garda O'Connor said the defendant's family were highly respectable, decent people held in the greatest regard by their community.
Neither the man nor his family had any history of violence and the offence was totally out of character.
Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC, defending, said his client had ruined his family's good name in "a moment of uncontrolled madness". It could be said in his favour he, showed real remorse from the start and pleaded guilty.
The defendant's father, along with two neighbours and employers, gave evidence on his behalf.