A recovering alcoholic who raped his partner on the day they bought an engagement ring together has been sentenced to 8 years.

The accused pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape, aggravated sexual assault and assault of the woman in their Donegal home on August 17th of 2008.

Mr. Justice Paul Carney sentenced the man to 8 years in prison for rape and aggravated assault and 6 months for common assault to run concurrently.

He suspended the final 2 years and ordered that the accused be supervised for 18 months after his release.

The woman was not in court but submitted a victim impact statement which stated that she is now ‘virtually a recluse’.

Defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC handed in a number of testimonials to the court on behalf of his client.

He also read an apology from the accused in which he stated that 3 lives had been torn apart – his, his former partner’s and that of their child.

Mr. Grehan noted that the accused had pleaded guilty in advance of the trial date.

He said that his client has no previous convictions for sexual offences or any serious violence.

The court also heard the accused told gardaí he had been abused himself when he was young.