Woman forgives rapist for ‘own peace of mind’

A WOMAN has forgiven the former partner who raped her while she slept in bed, the Central Criminal Court has been told.

Reading from her victimimpact statement, the woman told the 59-year-old Wicklow man: “I have forgiven you, more for my own piece of mind so I won’t be bitter.”

The man, who cannot be named to protect the woman’s anonymity, was convicted by a jury last December of one charge of rape in Co Wicklow on November 5, 2015.

He had denied the charge and has no previous convictions.

Yesterday, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart imposed a seven-year sentence with the final 18 months suspended.

She commended the woman on her “heartfelt” victim

She woke to the smell of chips and the man trying to put chips in her mouth

impact statement and for “bravely” stating she had forgiven the man.

“The court can only wish her well and a full recovery in time for the ordeal that was inflicted on her,” Ms Justice Stewart said.

A local sergeant told Róisín Lacey SC, prosecuting, that the woman had a short relationship with the man, which ended in 2015.

She began a new relationship later that year, which provoked some “hostility” from the man. The court was told the man and woman had lived at the same address.

On the evening before the attack, he sent her a text asking to talk to her. She went out that night with friends and on her return home, she contacted the man by phone to say there was no need to talk.

She went to bed and later woke up to the smell of chips, someone trying to put chips into her mouth and the words “open your legs”. She saw the man naked and having sex with her. She later told gardaí she froze but shook her head from side to side.

She said to this day her thoughts were consumed by the rape, that she had never felt hurt and pain like it and that she had been prescribed medication to help her cope.

She said she couldn’t deal with the fact the man would not acknowledge what he had done.