Garda relief as violent Tinder sexual predator is convicted

GARDAÍ are ‘delighted and very, very relieved’ that a violent sexual predator has been placed on the sex offender’s register after he was convicted of assaulting a woman he met on Tinder.

The former UCD student – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was found guilty by a jury after 90 minutes of deliberation.

A source said gardaí were very impressed with the courage of the victim, a woman of ‘incredible strength’ who was absolutely determined to see her attacker convicted. The young Brazilian woman was overcome with relief following the verdict.

Her 36-year-old attacker – who will be sentenced next month – denied the sexual assault. He claimed she ‘freaked out’ when he tried to kiss her and said he believed they were ‘hooking up’.

In the woman’s harrowing account, she said he drove to a secluded area she didn’t know, turned the engine off and locked the doors and became very aggressive.

‘He was looking like a monster. He was calling me bad names and trying to touch me. I tried to take his hands away, and I couldn’t.’

He touched her thighs and forced her to kiss him. She struggled and elbowed him and he punched her head, calling her a ‘f ****** bitch’ and pulling down the top of her dress to expose her breast.

She managed to unlock the door and get out and he drove off. A woman walking her dogs helped her get a taxi home.