Man jailed for raping woman after throwing her out of her home

A man who raped a young woman almost six years ago after throwing her out of her home has been sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

The Central Criminal Court heard that Matthew Fadeyi (34) raped the woman, an acquaintance and significantly younger than him, after bringing her home in August 2018.

Fadeyi, of Birch Drive, Johnstown Wood, Navan, Co Meath, was found guilty of rape at a retrial in May after the jury failed to reach a verdict at the first trial in 2021.

Delivering her sentence on Monday, Judge Kerida Naidoo said the victim in this case was “relatively young and inexperienced” and Fadeyi did not use a condom, which added to her distress.

The judge said that in all cases of rape, freedom is restricted, but the woman was particularly restricted because she was tied to the back seat of the car during the attack.

He noted that Fadeyi is now married and has children. His wife is expecting their third child.

He imposed a prison sentence of six and a half years, with the final year suspended on probation.

Prosecutor Ronan Kennedy (SC) had previously told the court that Fadeyi and the then 20-year-old victim were acquaintances and that he had offered to take her home on the night in question.

During the trip, Fadeyi flirted with the woman and asked her personal questions. He parked the car near her house and the woman thanked him.

Then he kissed her, but she did not return the kiss and said her parents were waiting for her at home.

When he asked her if she wanted to get in the back seat, she repeated that her parents were waiting for her and she didn’t want to have sex.

Fadeyi got out, opened the passenger door and again asked the woman to get in the back seat. They got in the back seat and the woman again told him that she did not want to have sex.

He then unbuckled his pants and began to touch himself before inappropriately touching the woman.

The woman lay down in the back seat and again told Fadeyi that she did not want to have sex. She tried to dissuade him from penetrative intercourse by performing oral sex on him.

Fadeyi then raped her.

At one point, Fadeyi asked her if she was OK and she expressed discomfort. She froze, unresponsive, and kept her arms at her side.

When Fadeyi finished, the victim took her things and went home. She was ashamed, embarrassed and angry. She called a friend who testified during the trial that she had cried during the phone call.

The woman went to a local Garda station a few days later but did not give a statement as no female Garda officer was available. In January 2019, she made a formal complaint to the Gardaí.

Fadeyi was voluntarily interviewed by police. He said the sexual contact was consensual and instigated by the woman.

Fadeyi has already been convicted once for a minor traffic violation.

The court heard that the woman found giving evidence in both trials traumatic. She has since moved away and did not want to give a victim impact statement.

The investigating Garda agreed with Kathleen Leader SC, defending, that the man’s previous conviction followed this incident.

Ms. Leader explained to the court that her client was married and had two young children. Several witness statements were presented to the court.

He has been in prison since his conviction and finds it difficult to be separated from his family, who lack his support.

Fadeyi moved to Ireland in 2017 and has a strong career path. He has continued his studies and has been offered a place on a tertiary course.

Fadeyi’s father died in Nigeria while awaiting trial. He was unable to travel to the funeral or to see his family, which was very stressful for him, his lawyer said.

Ms Leader asked the court to take into account that no further act of violence had taken place beyond the crime itself.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the 24-hour national rape victim helpline on 1800 77 8888, access the text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline or visit the Rape Victim Helpline website.