Teenage rapists jailed for up to 10 years

Four Limerick teenagers have received jail sentences of up to 10 years at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin for gang-raping a woman in Cratloe Woods, Co Clare, last January.

The woman's partner was locked in the boot of his car by the four youths before the rapes took place in the vehicle.

The gang, three aged 16 and one aged 15, taunted the man as they attacked his partner. "We're raping your bird," one of the four told him. One of them also laughed in the woman's face and asked her for a kiss, while an accomplice was raping her.

The Limerick city teenagers are: Thomas O'Neill (16), Darragh Ryan (16), both of Lenihan Avenue; Dean Barry (16), Garrglass, Ballinacurra Weston; and Jason Ring (15), Crecora Avenue, Ballinacurra. They pleaded guilty to raping the 35-year-old woman on January 23rd this year.

They also pleaded guilty to the false imprisonment of the woman's partner, for which they were each sentenced to four years. They all received two further sentences of three years each for assaulting the couple. The jail terms will run concurrently.

Ring will serve his sentence in Trinity House, Lusk, because he is under 16. The other three will serve their sentences in St Patrick's Institution.

O'Neill was identified as the ringleader and he was given the longest sentence for the rape, 10 years. Barry was jailed for nine years, Ryan for eight, and Ring for four.

The male victim was badly beaten by the gang members, who used a shovel, wheel brace, screwdriver and golf club to assault him. He fought the gang a number of times during the attack, which lasted over an hour. Following the rapes he managed to kick his way out of the car boot and held one of the teenagers until gardaí arrived.