Man raped former partner in front of infant

A Donegal man raped his ex-partner in front of their infant child the Central Criminal Court has heard.
During that attack the man tried to rape the woman seven times before succeeding. He will be sentenced next month by Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan.
The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to rape of the woman at his home on February 26, 2010. He has several previous convictions including theft, assault and burglary.
A local detective garda told prosecuting counsel, Mr Paul Coffey SC, that the man and the victim lived together and had a child before they separated in 2009.
They took turns to mind the child and on the day of the attack the woman was leaving her with her partner at his home. They both washed and played with the child before putting her to bed in her cot.
The man then attacked his ex-partner and held her on the bed. He tried to rape her several times before succeeding. The baby was in the room at the time.
Defence counsel, Conor Devally  said his client “misread the situation”, and stopped once he realised the woman wasn‘t consenting.
Mr Devally called it a “once-off, spur of the moment incident” and said the man pleaded guilty to spare his partner the ordeal of trial.
Mr Justice Sheehan said he wanted time to consider a sentence and remanded the man in custody until next month.