Dublin man gets seven years for rape

A Dublin father of three who later prayed for a woman he had violently raped having just met her that night at a house party has been sentenced to seven years at the Central Criminal Court.

James Kelly (aged 30) of Willow Wood View, Hartstown, pleaded guilty on the morning of his trial to one count each of rape, anal rape and oral rape of the now 35-year-old woman at a Dublin apartment on April 4, 2007. He was registered as a sex offender.

Kelly is already serving a four-year sentence for arson.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to seven years in prison consecutive to the four-year term and suspended the last 18 months.

He described it as a “grave and serious offence” which was "a two and half hour prolonged ordeal" for the victim as she was subjected to "gratuitous violence" and threats to kill.

Mr Justice McCarthy said the victim impact report outlined that the woman had been a vulnerable with her own difficulties previous to the rape and the attack led to a relapse into depression.

He said he could not understand why Kelly had not pleaded guilty earlier “if his level of contrition is what he has claimed”.

Mr Justice McCarthy said the crime warranted a10-year sentence considering all these factors but taking into account Kelly's remorse, plea of guilty and the possibility for rehabilitation he sentenced him to seven years with the last 18 months suspended.

Kelly, who had been attending a back to education course in Maynooth College at the time, later told a psychologist that he regularly prayed for his victim and had turned to religion in an attempt to get his life back on course.