A Sligo man who beat a young woman "within an inch of her life" and raped her while she was unconscious in 1996 has had the balance of his seven-year sentence suspended by Mr Justice Lavan at the Central Criminal Court.
Padraig Finn told the judge he had been forced last Tuesday as a result of the action of another person to reveal his conviction and background publicly to his fellow-students on a computer course in another town. They had all been very supportive of him.
Mr Brendan Grehan (with Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC), defending, said "difficulties such as this" were part of his client's punishment which he had to endure. The management of the educational centre had been fully apprised in advance about his background.
Finn (23), of Cranmore Road, Sligo, pleaded guilty to raping the 18-year-old woman at Rosses Point on January 18th, 1996. He was jailed by Mr Justice Lavan for seven years on October 22nd, 1996, but released on bail last October 22nd on strict conditions.
These included that he not return to Sligo until 2003, make no contact with his victim, arrange psychological counselling under probation supervision, undergo an educational course, reside at a specific address and sign on weekly at the local Garda station.
Finn told Mr Grehan he was abstaining from alcohol and had so far passed all his examinations. He believed the psychological counselling would continue for perhaps two years and he told the court he had no difficulty in following the other conditions imposed on him. Mr Grehan submitted that Finn should be allowed to continue his rehabilitation by having the balance of his sentence suspended. The judge added that he did not think it was necessary to re-list the case for further review, but if Finn breached any of the conditions of his release he was to be brought before the court within 48 hours.
Evidence was given at the original hearing in 1996 that an innocent comment by the victim may have "triggered a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde transformation" in Finn, leading to his vicious attack on her after the couple had been "kissing and cuddling".
In evidence at the 1996 hearing, Finn expressed remorse and said he could not explain his actions. He said that after the assault he walked around as he could not believe what he had done. He kept hoping it was a dream.