A Donegal man raped his ex-partner in front of their infant child, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
During that attack the man tried to rape the woman seven times before succeeding. He will be sentenced next month by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan.
The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to rape of the woman at his home on February 26, 2010. He has several previous convictions including theft, assault and burglary.
A local detective garda told prosecuting counsel, Mr Paul Coffey SC, that the man and the victim lived together and had a child before they separated in 2009.
They took turns to mind the child and on the day of the attack the woman was leaving her with her partner at his home. They both washed and played with the child before putting her to bed in her cot.
The man then attacked his ex-partner and held her on the bed. He tried to rape her several times before succeeding. The baby was in the room at the time.
During the rape, the victim was shouting to stop and he threatened to tie her to the bed. Afterwards he refused to return the child to her and threatened her with revenge if she went to gardaí. She promised not to and he let her go.
When the victim got home her mother noticed she was pale and asked what was wrong. The woman said she had been raped and gardaí were called. He was arrested and denied having any sexual contact with the woman. DNA evidence was later found linking him to the rape.
Defence counsel, Mr Conor Devally SC, said his client “misread the situation” and had the impression the sex was consensual. He said he stopped once he realised the woman wasn‘t consenting.
Mr Devally called it a “once-off, spur of the moment incident” and said the man pleaded guilty to spare his partner the ordeal of trial.
He said the man is of ‘limited intelligence’ and fell into drugs after dropping out of school. He said he is now in a new relationship and expecting a child.
Mr Justice Sheehan said he wanted time to consider a sentence and remanded the man in custody until next month.
Ends
Tags: