Man charged with falsely imprisoning and raping woman at her Cork home claims 'she wanted to have sex with me'

A man charged with falsely imprisoning and raping a woman at her home in Cork city while he was carrying two knives, claimed that “she wanted to have sex with me”.

Detective Garda Patrick Houlihan arrested the man, aged 44, for the purpose of charging him.

He was cautioned after each charge was brought against him that he did not have to reply but that anything he might say would be written down and could be given in evidence.

When charged with raping the woman at her home in Cork, he replied: “She wanted to have sex with me. I did not do anything against her.”

To the charge of being in possession of two knives contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act at the time of the alleged incident, the accused man said: “She agreed with it, she called me there.”

Thirdly, he was accused of falsely imprisoning the woman and he replied: “It is not true.”

Sergeant John Dineen said the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that the case would be dealt with at the Central Criminal Court because of the inclusion of a charge of rape.

The defendant was previously charged with a charge of assaulting the woman contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Sgt Dineen said the DPP also consented to signed pleas of guilty being entered at the district court to all charges and sentencing to follow at the Central Criminal Court.

Book of evidence

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said there would be no signed pleas of guilty and that a book of evidence would be required.

The case arose of the investigation of a reported incident at 9am on February 10, 2025, at a location in Cork city where it was alleged that a man fled from the scene and was found with the assistance of a garda helicopter on waste ground nearby.

It was alleged that a man forced his way into a house where he threatened a woman, who was at home alone with a child, and subjected her to a serious assault. Gardaí cordoned off the area outside this house.

It was further reported that the woman managed to get free at around 9.40am on the day one year ago, where it was alleged that the woman had to take her child with her, and run outside in her slippers to a premises across the road from her house and that she suffered slash wounds from a bladed instrument during her struggle to escape.

Identification of parties to the case is legally prohibited. The case was adjourned until March 18.