OMEN
02-16-2009, 10:10 PM
A serial sex offender who raped a woman in a Nenagh fast food restaurant two years ago has been jailed for life at the Central Criminal Court.
David Power of Brittas in Thurles, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to the offence.
He had previously been jailed in 2001 and 2002 for violent sexual attacks on other women in Cork.
The 27-year-old attacked his victim in the toilets in Supermacs in Nenagh on 28 January 2007 at 3.30am.
He had been going in and out of the toilets before he targeted his victim and raped her twice.
She struggled with him and fought him but her screams could not be heard because the music in the toilets was playing too loud.
The court was told she had only stopped on her way to a nightclub and her boyfriend was waiting outside, oblivious to the attack.
Power's mother had pleaded in court for help for her son. She said he had been sexually abused as a child.
Power said he could not get treatment while in custody and apologised to the victim.
Mr Justice Paul Carney, who had sentenced Power on the two previous occasions he was caught, said he had already tried to help him in the past when he imposed what might now be considered moderate sentences.
The court was told that Power had drank 15 pints, six shots and took a cocktail of ecstasy and speed before carrying out the attack.
Mr Justice Carney said this was an opportunistic, premeditated and planned attack and he could not take into account Power's addiction to drink and drugs or his troubled upbringing.
RTE
David Power of Brittas in Thurles, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to the offence.
He had previously been jailed in 2001 and 2002 for violent sexual attacks on other women in Cork.
The 27-year-old attacked his victim in the toilets in Supermacs in Nenagh on 28 January 2007 at 3.30am.
He had been going in and out of the toilets before he targeted his victim and raped her twice.
She struggled with him and fought him but her screams could not be heard because the music in the toilets was playing too loud.
The court was told she had only stopped on her way to a nightclub and her boyfriend was waiting outside, oblivious to the attack.
Power's mother had pleaded in court for help for her son. She said he had been sexually abused as a child.
Power said he could not get treatment while in custody and apologised to the victim.
Mr Justice Paul Carney, who had sentenced Power on the two previous occasions he was caught, said he had already tried to help him in the past when he imposed what might now be considered moderate sentences.
The court was told that Power had drank 15 pints, six shots and took a cocktail of ecstasy and speed before carrying out the attack.
Mr Justice Carney said this was an opportunistic, premeditated and planned attack and he could not take into account Power's addiction to drink and drugs or his troubled upbringing.
RTE