Man jailed for six years over rape of woman in car park

A Westmeath man who raped a woman in a Longford car park after a heavy drinking bout combined with taking ecstasy and cannabis has been jailed for six years by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin

Marcus McHugh (23) of Christianstown, Collinstown, Mullingar, pleaded guilty to raping the victim on November 9th, 2007, when he also threatened to kill her.

They had met at a Longford late-night venue.

The court heard a plea on his behalf by his mother, Caroline Cowdy, who told Mr Justice Carney that she held herself responsible for her son being in court.

She said she had a Canadian university degree in social work and was finishing a master's degree in counselling. Ms Cowdy said her son was "a very troubled young man" and that she was "responsible for him sitting here" in court because he grew up "in a traumatic household" that was caused by her.

"I was emotionally and physically violent to him when he was a child and I was emotionally abusive to his father."

Ms Cowdy said she separated from McHugh's father when he was 11 years old and went to Canada where she established a new relationship.

She said that while her son was at school she would meet him regularly at holiday times and they maintained constant phone contact.

Mr Justice Carney said he rejected Ms Cowdy's acceptance of responsibility for her son's crimes.

"This case is typical of so many that come before these courts of young people of previous exemplary character who leave home with no evil intent but then consume large quantities of alcohol and drugs and end up on serious rape and even homicide charges before the court."

Mr Justice Carney said society extended little sympathy to people who found themselves in this situation.

He said that balancing all the aggravating and mitigating factors as best he could - "including a very credible threat to kill" - he imposed six-year concurrent sentences and directed that McHugh undergo four years post-release supervision.

Garda Sgt Gerry Newton told prosecuting counsel Desmond Dockery that McHugh had given the victim the impression that he lived in apartments nearby and indicated to her that he had a vehicle in the car park to offer her a lift home.

McHugh had insisted that she did not go home on her own and said he would give her a lift.

The victim walked with him to the car park where there was a single car.

He pushed her on to the bonnet of this car and when she asked him what he was doing, he started hitting her on the head with his fist and told her to shut her mouth.

He then hit her twice with his fist and she hit her head off the bonnet.

He then ordered her to remove her clothing and threatened "I will kill you" if she didn't. He began pulling down her trousers and again threatened to kill her if she didn't.

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http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/0730/1217279170402.html

© 2008 The Irish Times

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