A carpenter from Co Wicklow Lawrence Murphy, 36, was today given a fifteen-year sentence in the Central Criminal Court after having pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to four charges of raping a woman and one of attempted murder on February 11th 2000.
He also admitted falsely imprisoning a woman, assaulting her, causing her harm and robbing her of £700.
Murphy, a married father of two from Woodfield, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, was also given sentences of four years for assault and three years for robbery.
The sentences are to run concurrently. The final year is to be suspended.
Giving evidence in court today Detective Inspector Pat Mangan told the court how the victim was assaulted, robbed, abducted and placed in the boot of a car in Beaconstown, County Wicklow. She was brought to locations in Carlow, Kildare and Wicklow where she was raped four times.
A plastic bag was placed over the 28-year-old woman's head whereupon she was told "You will never see your family again." The court heard how the woman managed to free herself and run towards the headlights of an approaching car. She was then brought to Baltinglass Garda station by local men.
The accused was known to local men who gave evidence to gardaí. Murphy was arrested the following day. The court heard how £700 and the woman's handbag were recovered from Murphy's car. Murphy was arrested and remanded in custody. He admitted to raping and attempting to murder the woman.
In summing up, Justice Paul Carney said this was "a truly horrific case" and "one of the worst to come before the courts."
Having regard to the defendent's admission of guilt, his "cooperation and absence of any previous convictions" Justice Carney suspended the final year of Murphy's sentence.
The accused was refused leave to appeal.