Man is jailed for sexually assaulting woman in "random and violent" attack
A man has been jailed for sexually assaulting a woman as she was leaving a theatre in Waterford City after a show.
The 23-year-old man assaulted the 61-year-old woman at Meeting House Lane behind Garter Lane Arts Centre, in May of 2024.
The man, who is originally from Jordan, and now living in Ireland of no fixed abode, is currently serving a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for a very similar sexual assault which he committed on a woman in her 40s in Dublin within days of the Waterford attack.
He appeared in Waterford Courthouse recently alongside an interpreter to receive a further sentence.
On May 18, 2024, at approximately 10.30pm, the victim walked out of Garter Lane towards Meeting House Lane behind the theatre.
Whilst here, she was approached by a male who grabbed her and assaulted her. He made an attempt to bite or kiss her and to grab her genital area.
In her victim impact statement, the woman said that she was able to fight the man away, but that she finds herself ruminating and worrying about what would have happened if she wasn’t able to do so.
She immediately rang her husband to inform him of the assault and a Garda investigation commenced.
CCTV of the incident was extracted, and a nationwide bulletin was circulated to Garda members.
The man was identified by a Garda officer who was familiar with him from the separate assault he committed in Dublin.
The man initially denied that it was him in the CCTV footage.
During earlier court proceedings, which took place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in relation to the Dublin assault, the man's origin came under questioning.
It's understood he initially pretended to gardaí that he had fled Syria.
However, it transpired that he was actually from Jordan and had only been in Ireland a very short time.
During the recent sentencing hearing in Waterford, the court heard that the man came from Jordan as an asylum seeker.
His application for asylum has now been withdrawn and he has intentions to return to Jordan.
A victim impact statement was delivered during the recent Waterford sentencing.
The statement outlined that the victim is now constantly “hypervigilant and anxious”.
She outlined that she would be “extremely worried” for her own safety and for the safety of other women and young girls if the man was released from prison.
Judge Eugene O'Kelly said that the victim's response to the attack and her victim impact statement demonstrated her "strong character".
A letter of apology from the man was presented to the court by his defence counsel.
The statement said: “I want to beg for mercy” and “I did something so disgusting.”
His defence counsel outlined that he was assaulted since being in prison and now has to wear a catheter.
In sentencing the man, Judge Eugene O’Kelly said the incident was an “opportunistic attack by a sexual predator”.
“It was random and violent,” he added.
The man was sentenced to three years and nine months, with the final three years suspended on the condition that he leaves the jurisdiction upon release and not return for a period of 10 years.
The custodial sentence will run consecutive to the three-and-a-half-years he is currently serving in Midlands Prison.
