Man accused of raping a woman at gunpoint at a Laois address

A man who is accused of holding a gun to woman’s head and raping her was refused bail.  

The man (38), who has a Laois address and cannot be named for legal reasons, applied for bail at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court. 

He is accused of rape at a Laois address on a date unknown between June 9 and November 2, 2024. He is further accused of assaulting a woman causing harm on January 1, 2025 and a date in November 2024. He is further charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm to a woman in June of 2024. 

Detective Garda Ger Galwey said he was objecting to bail due to the serious nature of the allegations. He said the DPP had directed that the defendant be sent forward for trial. He said the man was initially charged with assault and is currently in custody with consent to bail in respect of those charges.  “He hasn’t been in a position to take up that bail,” he explained. 

Det Galwey said his objection related to the two new charges. He said the defendant made no reply after caution when charged with rape and threatening to kill or cause serious harm. 

He said it would be alleged that the defendant had brought a woman into a back bedroom of a house and “put a gun to her head” and then pulled down her underwear and raped her. Det Galwey said it would be alleged the man had said, “I will take your head clean off”. 

Det Galwey told the court a “black replica handgun” was found under a mattress during a search by gardaí. 

Det Galwey then played an audio clip of an alleged threat made by the defendant to the woman. The recording was played through the courtroom speakers. 

In the audio recording, a man can be heard calling a woman “a little slutbag” and a “horrible tramp” and the man says “I don’t care if you are only saying it, I will kick the slitheryness out of you.” The man in the recording can also be heard saying, “I am going to take the head clean off of you.” 

The man in the recording states, “nobody likes you, nobody wants you. People only use you.”  The man also says “you little f**king tramp, you have done the wrong thing threatening me.” 

Det Galwey said the man by his own admission is heavily addicted to crack cocaine. He said he would have serious concerns for the safety of the alleged injured party if the man was granted bail.

Solicitor Philip Meagher said Judge Andrew Cody had granted bail to the defendant under certain terms when he faced the two assault charges. He said the man still enjoys the presumption of innocence.  

Det Galwey said it was his belief that “the goalposts have significantly moved now in terms of the charges.” 

Mr Meagher said his client now had an address outside of Laois “far removed from the complainant”. He said the man had been in custody for a "relatively significant” amount of time. 

Adding his objection to any bail, Garda Sergeant JJ Kirby said rape was the third most serious crime after manslaughter and murder. He noted the “venom” in the recording. 

“The goalposts have certainly moved and they have moved onto another pitch. I can move it no further,” he remarked.   

Mr Meagher said the defendant might have to remain in custody for up to two years before a trial. 

Judge Susan Fay noted the defendant was entitled to the presumption of innocence and a presumption of bail. 

However, she said she refused bail due to the serious nature of the allegations. She imposed reporting restrictions and remanded the defendant in custody.