A former soldier from Cork who raped his friend after she refused to kiss him has been sentenced to nine years by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court.
The man (45), who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty on the third day of his trial last year after the woman gave evidence to the jury and before she was cross-examined by his defence team.
He pleaded guilty to one count of rape, two of attempted rape and one of sexual assault at the woman’s Cork home on September 12th and 13th, 2008.
Mr Justice Carney commented it appeared the man had only admitted to the attack after he realised the victim would “swear up” to the allegations. He added the man’s consumption of drink and drugs before the incident offered no mitigation nor defence.
The judge noted, in mitigation, the man’s remorse and that he had spared the victim being cross-examined. He suspended the final two years of the term on condition he stays away from the woman and undergoes five years post-release supervision.
Det Gda Catherine Tansey said the woman had prepared a victim impact report in which she described the accused as having acted “like a monster” after she refused to kiss him.
“I never before saw such rage and anger,” the victim said and added that she was left feeling “so degraded” after the assault.
She described having flashbacks of being brought upstairs to her bedroom with her hands tied behind her back and said that she was always afraid that the man would return to her home and harm her.
“I had allowed him into my home. He was like family and I trusted him. I never thought he would cross the line. It was the first time I had ever lived alone,” the woman stated in her report.
She said she felt “humiliated” having to relive the events of that night in her evidence to the court and said although she was relieved by the defendant’s pleas of guilty, she did not accept his apology.