A man who drugged his daughter and her friends during a sleepover and then raped one of them during a game of hide and seek in the woods has been jailed for 15 years and six months. The 47-year-old pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to eight sample counts involving five victims: his two teenage daughters, his younger daughter's two friends, and a friend of his older daughter.
He admitted two counts of raping his younger daughter's 15-year-old friend, one count of sexually assaulting her, one count of child sexual exploitation for having sexual intercourse in front of another girl, one count of child cruelty by drugging the children, and three counts of possessing child pornography. The offences occurred between June 2024 and July 2025 at the man's home in Leinster. He had no previous convictions.
Sleepover and drugging
A detective inspector told Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, prosecuting, that the man invited his teenage daughter's friend for a sleepover in July 2025 after arranging it with her mother. Another friend also joined. The man gave all three girls vodka drinks and pills he claimed were Motilium to prevent sickness, but toxicology tests later showed they were sleeping pills and muscle relaxants.
The rape in the woods
After putting his own daughter to bed, the man persuaded the victim to go to the woods with him. She refused to go without the third friend, so all three went. Once in the woods, he suggested they play hide and seek and told the third friend to hide. He then raped the victim, causing her extreme pain. Part of the rape was inadvertently recorded on the third girl's phone when she came upon them. The victim contacted a male friend on Snapchat, who urged her to leave and tell an adult.
Gardaí were alerted after the girl returned home, and she was taken to a sexual assault treatment unit. When Gardaí searched the man's home and seized his phone, they found an encrypted vault containing 827 child abuse images and 71 videos, including two of his daughter's friends – one being the rape victim – and his older teenage daughter.
Victim impact
The rape victim said she suffers from anxiety and PTSD, is afraid to take medicine and to sleep at night. “I wake up to nightmares,” she said. “...I used to love hugs and affection from family and friends. I now panic and freeze up.” The older daughter's friend, who was photographed by the man on holiday, said she has become anxious, uncomfortable, and self-conscious. “It has affected the way I view and trust people, particularly men,” she said. She noted that her friendship with the man's daughter broke down, calling it extremely upsetting.
Sentencing remarks
Mr Justice Sean Gillane said: “Breach of trust in my view does not do justice to what happened here and risks becoming something of an empty incantation.” He noted the “deliberate and calculated” recording and storage of the first rape as aggravating, along with the man's “complete lack of remorse” immediately after the second rape and “appalling remarks he made”.
The judge rejected the defence's submission that the breakdown of the man's relationship, alcohol, and other “sad” events explained what happened. He acknowledged the guilty plea, work history, and lack of previous convictions as mitigating factors, noting the man “now at least had expressed remorse”. He imposed a global sentence of 17 years, suspending the final 18 months for five years on conditions including probation supervision.
Mr Justice Gillane also addressed the parents present in court, calling them victims “in the true broad sense”. “One can only imagine the torture they have put themselves through,” he said, adding that the court hoped “today offers some finality”.
