A former chef who raped a woman in her bed was jailed for five years by Mr Justice O'Sullivan at the Central Criminal Court yesterday.
John McLoughlin told his 21-year-old victim after he raped her that she was ugly and he would rather have gone out with "one of the middle-aged wash-up women" than her.
On May 10th a jury found McLoughlin (22), originally from Bunduff, Cliffoney, Co Sligo, guilty of raping the woman on March 23rd, 1998. He had no previous convictions.
The crime happened in a Co Mayo town after he and the victim had been at a party in another house with mutual friends.
The woman told Mr Kenneth Mills SC, prosecuting, that she got a lift home from the party with a friend who left her at her front door. She said McLoughlin came into her room just after she had got into bed. No one else had seen him come in.
He undressed himself totally and despite her protests forced her on to the bed and raped her. She continued asking him to stop but did not scream because she was afraid the more she reacted the more he would hurt her.
She told a woman in the house what had happened shortly after McLoughlin left and a few days later i to lodge lodged a complaint with gardai.
Mr Barry White SC, defending, said McLoughlin had suffered serious head injuries and nearly died in November 1995 when his vehicle smashed into a wall.
Mr Justice O'Sullivan said McLoughlin was about to embark on a harsh regime in which he would only get the bare statutory 25 per cent remission and would not get leave even for the most serious problems. In all the circumstances he believed five years was the correct sentence.
March 21st, 2017: The information below was added in light of subsequent developments.
Conviction quashed
On June 24th, 2002 Mr McLoughlin appealed against his conviction to the Court of Criminal Appeal. The Court, on the basis of new evidence, quashed the conviction and ordered a new trial.
No prosecution
On January 19th, 2004 the Court gave liberty to the Director of Public Prosecutions to enter a Nolle Prosequi (the State did not enter a prosecution) in respect of the indictment. Mr McLoughlin therefore has no conviction in regard to the matter that was tried.