A MILDLY mentally handicapped man who raped a neighbour in her bed and said he would return the following night has been jailed for five years.
The Central Criminal Court was told the man also threatened to kill the widow if she informed anyone. She has become anorexic due to the trauma of the attack.
The 34 year old man pleaded guilty to raping the 46 year old widow after breaking into her house early on August 22nd, 1996.
Mr Donagh MacDonagh, prosecuting, said the woman recognised the defendant as her near neighbour when he walked into her bedroom. He removed her nightdress and raped her. The sexual attack lasted for more than two hours.
The woman rang her daughter, and gardai were notified. A garda said he went to the defendant's home and found him asleep. He said he had been drinking. The garda agreed with Mr Justice Carney that the defendant was "disparaging of the victim in certain respects" in his statement.