Monster jailed 11yrs for raping care home OAP during Covid lockdown

Daughter tells how predator ‘destroyed our 73-year-old mam’s life’

arrest in April. Mr Justice Paul Mcdermott noted the offence had taken place against a vulnerable elderly lady who was totally alone and helpless and confined to her room due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

He described the rape as “an egregious breach of trust by a qualified and experienced healthcare worker”.

The judge noted a probation report showed matters of real concern to the court, including that the man had little insight of the effect of his actions on the woman and that, although he accepted his actions were heinous and expressed remorse, it was felt it lacked depth beyond vocalisation.

He took into account the man, who has worked in healthcare for 15 years, had entered an early guilty plea and had otherwise led a blameless and hard-working life.

Mr Justice Mcdermott imposed 12 years imprisonment and suspended the final year on strict conditions.

The court heard gardai were alerted after the elderly woman was found in a distressed state by another member of staff and said she had been raped by the accused.

The woman’s daughter, in a victim impact statement prepared on her mother’s behalf, described how due to Covid-19 restrictions the family had been unable to accompany their distressed mum as she was taken in a Garda car to hospital to be examined at a sexual assault treatment unit.

She said the effect on their mother has been devastating. She is afraid of anyone coming into her room and checks the bathroom to make sure the man has not returned to the nursing home.

The woman described talking to her mother on the phone late at night and reassuring her the “monster” is in prison and cannot hurt her again.

She said the family are devastated she no longer has “the spark” she once did and added their mother is traumatised to the point where they can see she has given up. She said the accused had taken advantage of his position in the most despicable way.