Ex-policeman convicted of Sligo rape

A former Slovakian policeman has been convicted at the Central Criminal Court of raping a woman in his Sligo home last year.

Ladislav Pavlak, a 36-year-old divorced father, with an address at Ougham, Riverstown, was remanded in custody for sentence later by Mr Justice Eamon de Valera who also directed that his name be entered on the register of certified sex offenders.

Pavlak was found guilty by a 10-2 majority of raping the then 20-year-old woman on August 14, 2006 at his home and by 11-1 majority of sexually assaulting her on the same occasion.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charges during his eight-day trial. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for just over four hours and having spent one night in a hotel.

Mr Justice de Valera exempted the jurors from further jury service for 10 years if they wished to avail of that and told the three women and nine men they could "take pride and satisfaction" from their work in what he said was a difficult case.

The victim told prosecuting counsel, Ms Mary Ellen Ring SC (with Ms Eileen O'Leary BL), she was raped by Pavlak while sleeping-over in his house by arrangement with her family who had sought his help in finding her a job.

Her mother and other family members described how she called them by phone in the early hours of the morning asking to be picked up while she walked from Riverstown to another Sligo town after the rape. Though stopped at a garda checkpoint, the family didn't tell the gardaí their daughter was in trouble.

Pavlak was aroused from sleep by being slapped on the face by the victim's mother who demanded to know what he had done to her daughter. He was then punched and kicked by members of the family and locked himself back in the house for safety.

Pavlak gave evidence denying he raped her and claimed they had consensual sex the previous week when the victim also stayed over by arrangement following a party at his home.

He told defence counsel, Mr Martin Giblin SC (with Mr Francis Comerford BL) that they "made love several times" that night after she hugged and kissed him when everyone else had left and told him nobody loved her.

He agreed with Mr Giblin that he had denied to gardaí when interviewed that he had sex with her at any time "because I am a practising Roman Catholic and I was ashamed".

His claim of having consensual sex with her was rejected by the victim.