Man from Carlow jailed for nine years for multiple counts of sexual assault

Adam Roche, twenty-seven, from Ashbrook, Tullow, County Carlow has been jailed for repeatedly coercing a young woman into having non-consensual sex with him.

Roche “preyed” on the young woman, using threatening fictional online identities to coerce her into having non-consensual sex with him. He has been jailed for nine years.

Roche pleaded guilty to counts of sexual assault, rape, anal rape, oral rape and aggravated sexual assault on dates between August 2015 and January 2018. He now has six convictions including one conviction for possession of child pornography which was found when his possessions were seized during this investigation.

The Central Criminal Court heard that Adam Roche posed online as an unknown party, issuing threats that her pet would be in danger or images of her distributed unless she carried out sexual acts. Roche told the young woman he was also a victim of the same threats and he told her they should comply with the directions of this third party.

In her victim impact statement, the woman said the sustained sexual abuse and exploitation has had a profound impact on nearly every aspect of her life. She said she felt "naive and deceived" when she found out the truth.

Judge Tony Hunt, said "Roche knew the vulnerability and naivety of the young woman and preyed upon her using a very high degree of manipulation and sophisticated deception." He carried on to say "he hopes [the young woman] realises this was no fault of hers and she should never look at it in that way."

The judge also complimented Tullow Gardaí and Garda John O’Connor for their extensive investigation.

A pre-mitigation set the headline sentence of fourteen years. Hunt took into account in mitigation Roche's guilty plea and noted the apology by Roche, his remorse and his youth at the time of the offending. The sentence was reduced to ten and a half years with the final eighteen months suspended on strict conditions to incentivise rehabilitation and good behaviour.