A man who raped a woman in her home in Cork after a house party has been sentenced to eleven years in jail with three years suspended.
Hungarian restaurant owner Tamas Vecernyes (25) had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape at a house in Cork on September 9, 2009 but was found guilty after a trial.
The 28-year-old victim said that since the attack her life has come “crashing down” on her and that she has experienced a “darkness” she never had before.
She had invited Vecernyes, with an address in Douglas, Cork city, into her house for a party with other friends. After she went to bed he followed her upstairs and she awoke to find him on top of her.
She said she was unable to breathe or move and felt paralysed. He had lifted up her nightdress and taken off her underwear.
She tried a number of times to close her legs while the man held her arms by her side and continued to rape her. She eventually managed to close her legs and he got off her.
She told him to get out and immediately told her friends what had happened.
Mr Justice Paul Carney said the sentence reflected the grave nature of the offence and the fact that it had taken place in the victim’s own house where she was entitled to feel safest.
He said he also had to consider the man’s lack of previous convictions and his good work history. He suspended the last three years of the sentence on the condition that the man keep away from the victim in perpetuity.
He ordered that the man be registered as a sex offender and imposed an 18 month post release supervision order on Vecernyes. He said that this would not apply if he returned permanently to Hungary after his release.
Hungarian restaurant owner Tamas Vecernyes (25) had pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape at a house in Cork on September 9, 2009 but was found guilty after a trial.
The 28-year-old victim said that since the attack her life has come “crashing down” on her and that she has experienced a “darkness” she never had before.
She had invited Vecernyes, with an address in Douglas, Cork city, into her house for a party with other friends. After she went to bed he followed her upstairs and she awoke to find him on top of her.
She said she was unable to breathe or move and felt paralysed. He had lifted up her nightdress and taken off her underwear.
She tried a number of times to close her legs while the man held her arms by her side and continued to rape her. She eventually managed to close her legs and he got off her.
She told him to get out and immediately told her friends what had happened.
Mr Justice Paul Carney said the sentence reflected the grave nature of the offence and the fact that it had taken place in the victim’s own house where she was entitled to feel safest.
He said he also had to consider the man’s lack of previous convictions and his good work history. He suspended the last three years of the sentence on the condition that the man keep away from the victim in perpetuity.
He ordered that the man be registered as a sex offender and imposed an 18 month post release supervision order on Vecernyes. He said that this would not apply if he returned permanently to Hungary after his release.
