An Irish court has jailed a 25-year-old Nigerian, Utseoritselaju Uwatse for four years for raping a fellow college student.
The offence took place on April 20, 2018.
According to the prosecutor, Uwatse had met the victim, Danielle Lyons at a pub while celebrating some friends’ birthdays.
He said Ms. Lyons and another friend left the pub and returned to the student village, where a number of parties were taking place in different apartments.
The court heard that at one stage, Uwatse picked Ms. Lyons up and carried her into a bedroom and lay her on the bed, where she remembered him removing her shoes before falling asleep.
She woke early the following morning, and her clothes did not feel right, and she could feel pressure in her vagina.
Ms Lyons told the court that Uwatse was beside her, and he asked her if she “was on the pill”.
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She found this question unusual, and he then told her that they had sex and that the condom had broken. She realized she had not consented to this and became upset.
The court heard that Uwatse left the apartment, and gardaí were called. He was arrested and questioned in June 2018 and told gardaí that the sex had been consensual.
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Reading her victim impact statement to the court, the victim said: “I don’t think there are any words that would convey the damage that you have done”, and: “The woman who is here today is broken down”. She also said: “I felt guilty for the heaviness I brought to my friends and family.”
Sentencing Uwatse today Mr Justice Paul Burns said rape was a serious crime and he agreed that Uwatse deserved a headline sentence of between seven and 10 years.
He noted Uwatse had had a “promising future” ahead of him before this offence, and noted he has no previous convictions. He said he hoped that the woman, with the support of her family and friends, would be able to put the matter behind her as best as she could.
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