A Kerry man has received a prison sentence of eight years with 18 months suspended, for raping a young woman as she slept in her own bedroom.
The Central Criminal Court heard Conor Quaid (26) was in the victim's home on the night because he was a trusted family friend.
After a seven day trial, a jury found him guilty by a majority verdict of ten to one.
Conor Quaid of Monaree, Dingle, had pleaded not guilty to rape at a place in the county on June 10, 2018.
The court heard that Quaid had travelled to the home of the victim after a night out drinking in a nearby town.
The woman had stayed in that night, wasn't drinking and had gone to bed early.
Quaid went to her bedroom and raped her while she was “curled up” asleep, the court heard.
The woman later told gardaí that she woke up to find someone raping her, but didn't know what was happening at first, and she “froze”.
When she realised what was taking place she told Quaid to get out of her room.
The next day she sent a message via Facebook to Quaid accusing him of raping her.
Micheal Bowman SC, defending, said his client has a medical history of alcohol dependency and that since this offence he has made efforts to address this.
In a victim impact statement, the woman said that the attack has left her feeling powerless.
She said before the rape she was a “happy outgoing person” but she now struggles with panic attacks, guilt and shame on an ongoing basis.
Justice Mary Rose Gearty imposed a sentence of eight years and said the court had little scope to reduce this because of the absence of a guilty plea or of remorse.
She did suspend 18 months on condition that he be of good behaviour for three years after his release and stay away from the victim.
