A man, described as an "outlaw", who raped and falsely imprisoned a woman after he burgled her west Dublin home has been jailed for 14 years by the Central Criminal Court.
Martin Dunne (46), of Collins Drive, Finglas was given concurrent sentences of 14 years for rape and six years for each count of burglary and false imprisonment, offences committed on August 24th, 2001. He must remain under supervision for three years following his release.
Dunne was convicted by a jury in November last following a 12-day trial during which he sacked his legal team and conducted his own defence.
Mr Justice Daniel Herbert described Dunne as an "outlaw" whom he said "has total contempt for the law". He had 61 previous convictions for burglary, larceny, firearms offences and assault and has spent no more than 18 months at a time out of prison since his early teens.
Mr Justice Herbert said Dunne had, "imposed the worst burden I have ever seen on any victim". He said the victim impact report revealed the woman's personal life had been, "shattered in every way possible" and said her consultant psychiatrist's findings make "alarming reading".
Dunne claimed in evidence that he had been set up by what he called "the real perpetrator", his now deceased nephew, Glen Dunne, who asked him to break into a woman's house with him and "cut her up".
He claimed Glen was being paid to do this by the woman's former husband who had been "done out of money".
The victim told the jury she had a, "gut feeling" her former husband had arranged for Dunne and his accomplice to carry out the attack.
Mr Justice Herbert said, in imposing sentence, that he must disregard this allegation as no evidence had been put before him to support it. He did not consider this, nor the manner in which Dunne conducted his defence, as aggravating factors.
On day five of the trial, statements made to gardai by Dunne on the evening of his arrest, in which he admitted breaking into the woman's house and raping her, were read into evidence without challenge by the defence.