Additional prison sentence for man behind bars over forced abortion in Donegal

A notorious criminal already behind bars for 16 years after forcing a woman in Donegal to take abortion tablets has been handed a further prison sentence.

Adeleke Adelani was given sentences totalling 18 months when he appeared at Letterkenny District Court on separate assault, drugs and road traffic charges. 

Adelani, jailed for five-and-half years in November for a terrifying burglary, was handed a further nine-year sentence last month at Letterkenny Circuit Court after forcing a woman to take five abortion tablets before locking her in the room of a Letterkenny house.

This week, the 28-year-old Adelani was brought from Castlerea Prison by prison officers and sat in the dock as his latest case was heard.

Sergeant Jim Collins outlined the charges to the court.

At 1.30am on December 1, 2019, Gardai were called to an incident at Port Road, Letterkenny where a male had been assaulted. Adelani was observed on CCTV acting aggressively and approaching the injured party.

A scuffle ensued and Adelani punched the man. A short time later, Adelani was located outside his home and made admissions when quizzed by Gardai.

A medical report was handed into the court in relation to the injuries, while no victim impact statement was made.

On both December 16, 2021 and January 27, 2022, at Riverside Apartments and Lower Main Street, detectives carried out controlled undercover buys of ketamine valued at €50 from Adelani who was identified by local Gardai both times.

Adelani was also charged with assaulting a man at Riverside Apartments, Letterkenny on May 14, 2022. Adelani became involved in a dispute over the playing of loud music and pushed the other man hard against a wall and made threats.

During a search of a property at Fairgreen Park, Letterkenny under the Misuse of Drugs Act on January 22, 2023, Gardai located cannabis valued at €25, which Adelani admitted was for his own use.

At Oatfield Terrace, Letterkenny at 8pm on August 23, 2023, Adelani was stopped driving a BMW and was found to have no driving licence or insurance.

Last month, Adelani was jailed for nine years by Judge John Aylmer for what was described as an “extremely pre-meditated incident” in unlawfully ending the life of a foetus  

In November 2025, Adelani was jailed for five-and-a-half years over another incident during which he threatened to cut a terrified victim as he held a knife to his neck, before forcing him to transfer €2,500. 

Later that month, he was sentenced to 21 months in prison for laundering more than €100,000 as part of invoice redirection scams.

Adelani has previously received lengthy driving bans, including a 10-year disqualification, the court heard.

Due to the length of sentence being served by Adelani, Sergeant Collins and Mr Rory O’Brien, solicitor for the accused, said that the sentence imposed in these matters could not be made consecutively to his current term of imprisonment,

Solicitor for Adelani, Mr Rory O’Brien, said his client is originally from Nigeria and came to Ireland with his family when he was six. Mr O’Brien said Adelani is an Irish citizen and has one brother and one sister.

“His upbringing was very chaotic and disruptive,” Mr O’Brien said. “He was engaged in anti-social behaviour and he struggled with mental health issues.”

Mr O’Brien said his client has pleaded guilty and has endeavoured to resolve these cases.

“He has accepted his wrongdoing and has expressed his remorse,” Mr O’Brien said, adding that Adelani has “moved on from negative behavior” and was someone who took pride in sports and athleticism in the past.

He said Adelani has been in custody for four months now and “very much sticks to himself.”

He added: “He is in a situation now where he is in protective custody and is limited in terms of his interactions.”

For the assault causing harm on Port Road, Letterkenny on December 1, 2019, Adelani was sentenced to six months in prison. On each of the drugs charges - two for the possession of ketamine for sale or supply and one for possession of cannabis - Adelani was sentenced to two months imprisonment.

Adelani was also sentenced to two months in prison for the assault of the man at Riverside Apartments and was given a similar penalty on two road traffic offences.

The sentences are to run consecutive to each other, but concurrent to the sentence Adelani is already serving in prison.