Waterford, Ireland – A 25-year-old college student has been sentenced to five years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of a woman he was walking home from a pub.
Michael Molloy, of Creagh Demesne, Gorey, Co. Wexford, was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting the then 20-year-old woman in the early hours of November 1, 2021. He was 22 years old at the time of the offence.
Following a trial at the Central Criminal Court in Waterford this February, a unanimous jury found Molloy guilty of one count of rape, one count of oral rape, and one count of sexual assault. The victim waived her right to anonymity, allowing Molloy to be publicly identified.
Despite the verdict, Molloy maintains his innocence. He told Gardaà that the encounter was consensual, claiming the woman had initiated physical contact. The court heard that he has no prior convictions and has been in custody since his conviction.
The Assault
Detective Garda Jacinta Gordon testified that the victim and her friends had been dropped off at a pub by her father on the night of the incident. After leaving the bar at approximately 11:30 PM, the woman stopped for food before deciding to walk home alone.
On her way, she encountered Molloy, a former school acquaintance with whom she had never spoken before. Instead of heading towards his own home, Molloy walked her in the direction of her residence. They began kissing in a laneway, but when the woman attempted to stop, citing his relationship with another woman, Molloy became aggressive.
The court heard that Molloy turned the woman around, forced her against a wall, and digitally penetrated and raped her. When she resisted, he overpowered her, telling her to "just let it happen." After she fell to the ground, he orally raped her.
The woman eventually managed to push Molloy away and ran home in distress, with him shouting after her not to tell anyone. She immediately contacted a friend and later confided in her parents.
Within hours, she was examined at a sexual assault treatment unit, where medical professionals documented lacerations, soreness, and bleeding. Molloy was subsequently arrested but denied the charges.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
During the trial, the defence argued that the sexual activity was consensual, a claim the victim firmly denied.
Delivering the sentence on Tuesday, Mr Justice Paul Burns stated that Molloy had taken advantage of the woman's initial interest in him. "That didn't give him permission to engage in sexual activity without her consent," he said, describing the assault as a "terrible experience" with lasting psychological effects on the victim.
The judge noted that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had classified the crime within the sentencing range of seven to ten years. He initially set a seven-year term but reduced it to six, citing mitigating factors, and suspended the final year on several conditions. These include Molloy's supervision by the Probation Service for three years after release.
Victim Impact Statement
In her victim impact statement, read in court by Detective Garda Gordon, the woman described how the attack had profoundly altered her life.
"I have gone from being a young woman who felt she had everything going for her—full of confidence and drive—to a completely lost soul," she stated. She spoke of persistent anxiety, recurring nightmares, and a sense of constant fear.
She also detailed the emotional distress of encountering Molloy’s relatives in her community and the need to avoid places where she might run into him. However, she expressed resilience, saying she is now emerging from the trauma.
Defence Arguments
Colman Cody SC, defending, submitted a book of testimonials on Molloy’s behalf, highlighting his achievements in education, sport, and work.
At the time of the offence, Molloy was studying architecture and design at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) with aspirations of joining his father’s family business. Due to the legal proceedings, he was unable to continue his studies.
The court also heard that Molloy has a stable home environment to return to after serving his sentence. He has been in a relationship with his current girlfriend for the past year.
Molloy will now serve his prison term, with conditions imposed for his post-release supervision.
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