RICHARD FINN FROM CLONDALKIN AND RATHCOOLE SENTENCED FOR HORRIFIC RAPE ON POLISH WOMAN IN DUBLIN

In a case that has shocked the community and drawn significant attention from the Irish judicial system, Richard Finn, a man originally from Clondalkin and now residing in Rathcoole, was convicted of a brutal and prolonged sexual assault on a Polish woman in Dublin. The incident took place on July 22, 2007, and the repercussions of this crime have resonated deeply within the local area and beyond.

According to court records, Finn, aged 20 at the time, subjected the victim to a harrowing ordeal that lasted for more than two hours. The attack occurred in the grounds of the Church of Immaculate Conception and Scoil Mhuire, located in Clondalkin. The victim, who was walking to work along Convent Road around 7:30 am, was suddenly grabbed from behind by Finn. The assault was not only physically violent but also invasive, as Finn forcibly held her in the church grounds until nearly 10 am.

During the attack, Finn used his mobile phone to take photographs of the woman’s naked body, an act that added a layer of humiliation and distress to her trauma. The phone used for filming was never recovered, which the court considered an aggravating factor in the sentencing. The victim’s statement conveyed the profound impact the assault had on her life, describing it as a life-altering event that left her emotionally scarred. She chose not to return to Ireland for the court proceedings, instead returning to her homeland in Poland.

Finn’s identity as the perpetrator was quickly established by Gardaí, who identified him based on descriptions provided by the victim and information from two other similar attacks on women around the same period. The police investigation linked Finn to these incidents, leading to his arrest and subsequent guilty plea to charges of rape and oral rape.

At the Central Criminal Court, presided over by Mr. Justice Paul Carney, the severity of Finn’s actions was acknowledged. The judge highlighted that this case was not isolated, referencing other attacks on foreign women on public roads. The court took into account the fact that Finn’s actions included filming the victim, which intensified the trauma inflicted upon her. The location of the assault—on consecrated ground—added to the victim’s distress, given her Catholic background and the sacredness associated with the church grounds.

In his sentencing remarks, Mr. Justice Carney emphasized the multiplicity of the assaults and the particularly offensive nature of the sexual acts involved. He ordered that Finn’s name be added to the sex offenders register and mandated a five-year period of post-release supervision to monitor his conduct after serving his sentence.

Regarding sentencing guidelines, the judge explained that the range of penalties available was considered, and he placed the crime within a severe category, reflecting its heinous nature. The court also took into account Finn’s early guilty plea, which spared the victim the need to travel back from Poland for the trial. The judge acknowledged Finn’s expression of genuine remorse and noted that his previous convictions were not significant in this context. Credit was given for the time Finn had already spent in custody since September 2007.

Interestingly, Mr. Justice Carney publicly noted that he had received letters of support for Finn from a parish priest and other individuals, a detail that drew some controversy given the gravity of the crime. Ultimately, Finn was sentenced to 12 years in prison, a sentence that reflects the court’s recognition of the severity of his actions and the lasting impact on the victim’s life.