A man who attacked two sex workers after contacting the women to avail of their services has been jailed for 11 years at the Central Criminal Court.
Andrew Cooney (44), previously of Collins Place, Finglas, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault, assault causing harm and threats to kill against the first victim in this case on October 9, 2022, and sexual assault, assault causing harm and threats to kill against the second woman on September 8, 2023. Cooney was on bail for the first offence when he committed the second. He had previously been convicted three times for public order offences.
The court heard that one of the women told garda铆 that she did not feel the attack was sexually motivated, but rather that Cooney wanted to torture her that night. The second woman stated in her victim impact report that she wanted to ensure that Cooney didn鈥檛 hurt any other women.
Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, prosecuting, told the court that both women received multiple injuries during the assault after Cooney struck them repeatedly.
She said that Cooney was arrested in each case after the women were able to identify the house where they had met him. He denied each offence, claiming in the first incident that 15 to 20 people had come into the house after the woman had left.
Michael Bowman SC, defending, said Cooney had written a letter of apology, stating his behaviour was inexcusable and he will always be ashamed and saddened by his behaviour both nights.
He said that while he has been on remand in prison, he has 鈥渞eflected on my actions鈥.
鈥淚 am sorry for what I have done. I am confident that I can be a better person,鈥 Cooney continued before he said it was out of character. He said drink and drugs led him down a bad path.
Passing sentence Mr Justice Patrick McGrath said the probation report places Cooney at moderate to high risk of reoffending and that he has a lack of insight in the way in which he has dealt with this case.
The judge said the aggravating features in this case were that both of the injured parties were vulnerable women who were working as escorts. He said these were unprovoked and planned attacks where there was a high level of violence and humiliation. He noted that both women had been detained in the house, and the second incident was committed while Cooney was on bail.
The judge said he would consider the guilty plea, which provided some degree of comfort to the injured party, and his lack of previous conviction for a similar offence as mitigating factors.
With regards to the first woman, he set a headline sentence of ten years for the aggravated sexual assault and two four-year sentences for assault causing harm and threats to kill, all of which are to run concurrently.
With regards to the second woman, Mr Justice McGrath set a headline sentence of seven years for the sexual assault count and two four-year sentences for the assault causing harm and the threats to kill counts. All of which were to run concurrently and consecutive to the sentence imposed in relation to the offending against the first woman.
Mr Justice McGrath said this is a total headline sentence of 17 years. He said he must give credit for the guilty pleas and the other mitigating factors, and reduced the sentence to 15 years. After considering the principles of proportionality, he further reduced the sentence to 13 years.
The Probation Services had outlined that Cooney would require post-release supervision, and Mr Justice McGrath suspended the final two years of his sentence for a period of two years and placed Cooney under the supervision of the Probation Services. He outlined that Cooney must follow all directions indicated by the probation services.
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