A then 15-year-old Wicklow boy who raped a 14-year-old girl after a teenage disco has been jailed for five years by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court.
Eoghan O'Connell (17), of Dargle Heights, Bray pleaded guilty to raping the girl on January 30th, 2004.
Feargal Kavanagh SC (with Justin McQuade BL), defending, said O'Connell began abusing alcohol when he was 10, and then started on cannabis resin when 11, Ecstasy when 13, cocaine and "magic mushrooms" when 14 and moved on to heroin when aged 15.
Mr Kavanagh noted that O'Connell had nobody in court with him and said he came from a dysfunctional family. Only his grandmother could carry out any modicum of control on him and he was someone who needed intervention and support which he could only get in custody.
Mr Justice Carney said he had certified a point to the Court of Criminal Appeal on how 15-year-old rapists should be dealt with by a judge but had not yet received any guidance on this matter. "Rapes by 15-year-olds are becoming more common nowadays," he said.
He declared O'Connell a sex offender and directed he undergo five years post-release supervision. He said he was a person of good character when he raped the girl with a threat to kill and the court was dealing with his sentence on that basis though he had since got into "heavy crimes" for which he awaited sentence.