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Man convicted of rape attempt gets three years

A man who attempted to rape a Longford woman on the shore of a Leitrim lake has been jailed for three years at the Central Criminal Court.

Tomas Urbonas (26), a Lithuanian father of one, Landmark Court, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim, was convicted in July of sexual assault and attempted rape of the 23-year-old woman on April 8th, 2007.

Mr Justice Paul Butler yesterday directed that Urbonas's name be added to the register of sexual offenders and said the victim should be proud of herself for reporting the matter. He said it was an "appalling assault and attempt at rape" which had been halted by the actions of the victim.

Urbonas is the subject of a European arrest warrant for an alleged robbery in his home country. He will be extradited at the end of his sentence. He arrived in Ireland in 2005 and has four previous conviction here for public order offences, drink driving and possession of a weapon.

Det Garda Patrick Leonard told Conor Devally SC, prosecuting that the woman met Urbonas the day after spending the night with a friend of his. The court heard that the woman had consumed alcohol and half an ecstasy tablet the night before.

She intended to go home the next day and was at a bus stop when the man she had spent the night with and Urbonas cajoled her into getting into a car with them to go for a drink. Urbonas promised to drive her home later.

More story at-http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2008/1029/1225197273530.html

© 2008 The Irish Times

 
 

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