Man claims he was too drunk to remember sexually assaulting woman

A man who says he was too drunk to remember knocking a woman out before sexually assaulting her has been jailed for four years.

Anthony Ryan, aged 32, had been at a cheap drinks promotion at a nightclub where he said he had drank seven large bottles of cider, four vodka and Red Bulls, three “Jager-bomb” cocktails, and two shots of Sambuca spirit.

Ryan followed the woman from the nightclub to her home where he attacked her, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard. He punched her seven times and twice punched her head against a wall.

The 18-year-old victim lost consciousness and when she woke up Ryan was sexually assaulting her. He fled when a neighbour heard the victim’s screams and interrupted him.

After his arrest later that night Ryan told gardaí he was too drunk to remember talking to the taxi driver who dropped him off.

Garda Brian Murphy said: “He wasn’t falling around the place. He was intoxicated. I wouldn’t put it at the very highest levels of intoxication but it would be up there.”

Ryan of Belcamp Avenue, Priorswood, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm and sexual assault at a Dublin suburb on July 13, 2012.

Judge Carmel Stewart said the appropriate sentence in the absence of any mitigating circumstances was 7½ years. But she said that considering his early guilty plea and his personal circumstances five years was appropriate. She suspended the final year.

Garda Murphy agreed that Ryan is genuinely remorseful.

The victim had declined to prepare a victim impact report or to attend the sentence hearing.