Man who raped two sex workers and attempted to rape a third jailed for 18 years

READER WARNING: THE FOLLOWING COURT REPORT CONTAINS DETAILS WHICH SOME READERS MAY FIND DISTRUBING

By Eimear Dodd

A Dublin man who raped two sex workers and attempted to rape a third in separate incidents over an eight-month period in 2021 has been jailed for 18 years.

Aaron Barwell (29) of Coldcut Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, pleaded guilty to one count of oral rape, one of rape and one of attempted rape on dates between January and August 2021.

The three victims were all working as escorts at the time, and each had a profile on a website listing their services.

The Central Criminal Court previously heard that Barwell arranged for each victim to come to his residence on separate occasions, where he carried out the offences.

Imposing sentence today, Mr Justice Tony Hunt noted Barwell had “committed a series of violent sexual offences against women.”

Describing the facts of the case as “abysmal,” he noted that Barwell initially gave each victim an incorrect address, which he said showed a “certain amount of deviousness in terms of planning.”

The judge noted this was a case which involved “considered, planned and serious sexual offending of a sequential variety”.

He said it is concerning that the second and third offences were committed in light of the first and that this case “cries out for consecutive sentences”.

The judge also noted the use of violence went beyond that inherent in the offences and that Barwell had falsely induced the victims to believe he was an ordinary customer.

Mr Justice Hunt said it appeared to the court that Barwell may have made a calculation that “ladies who pursue this type of activity might be less tempted to bring it further”.

However, the judge said, “If that was part of his calculation, the gamble came spectacularly unstuck”.

Mr Justice Hunt noted people who commit offences of this nature will pay a “”very heavy price”.

The judge said that the days of a lenient approach to violence against women are gone.

“If you choose to engage in that behaviour, a heavy price has to be paid. I think courts and society want that to be the position.”

Referring to the victim impact statements, Mr Justice Hunt said they expressed the stress, anxiety, fear and long-term damage caused to the women.

He expressed the view that the stress and anxiety may never go away. “Like anything else of a serious nature in life, one can accommodate oneself to these matters. But the clock can never be turned back.”

Mr Justice Hunt set a total headline sentence of 36 years to reflect the gravity of the offending.

He said the court didn’t think this was “disproportionate to the wrongdoing in this case,” noting that Barwell is a “relatively young man” who, with “ordinary luck, would be able to serve a sentence of that variety”.

However, Mr Justice Hunt said the court was conscious that 36 years is a significant period and having considered the principles of totality and proportionality, he reduced the headline sentence to 27 years.

Mr Justice Hunt said it would be unacceptable to have a sentencing regime which suggested that second or subsequent serious offending “should come at little or no cost,” and this must be considered to be aggravating.

The judge noted the mitigation, including the guilty plea, which was of “significant importance and value”.

He also said he took into consideration Barwell’s age, background, his lack of previous convictions and the need to encourage rehabilitation.

Mr Justice Hunt handed Barwell a total sentence of 20 years, with the final two years suspended.

He further directed Barwell to undergo four years of post-release supervision, have no contact with any of the injured parties, and commit no further sexual offences in his lifetime.

Barwell had been due to stand trial at the Central Criminal Court late last year in relation to a total of 15 counts, including rape, oral rape, anal rape, false imprisonment, assault causing harm, making threats to kill or cause serious harm, and production of an article.

The court previously heard that a proposal was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions on the first day of the trial on the basis that the full facts were outlined during sentencing.

In the three separate incidents, the court previously heard Barwell contacted the victim and made arrangements for them to come to his place of residence to perform sexual services.

On January 29, 2021, a two-hour appointment was agreed between Barwell and the first complainant. He initially gave her an incorrect address and met her outside. When they went to his residence, Barwell directed her to the bedroom, then said he was going to the sitting room to get money.

He returned holding a rope and a hammer before pushing the woman onto the bed and demanding she perform oral sex on him.

The woman cried and said she would call gardaí, to which he replied, “F**k the gardaí”.

He forced her to perform oral sex.

She later told gardaí she was being “tapped on the soles of her feet” by Barwell using the hammer during this time.

He then pushed her face into the bed, tied her hands and masturbated over her.

The woman was very frightened.

She managed to escape then contacted a friend before making a complaint to gardai.

Gardaí carried out a search of Barwell’s residence following this incident.

A knife and cable ties were found in his pockets when he opened the door.

Several items were seized during the search, including a small silver hammer.

He was not arrested following this search as the garda investigation was ongoing.

Barwell arranged with the second victim for her to come to his residence on August 13, 2021.

He brought her to the sitting room and locked the door behind them.

He seemed to be under the influence of drugs and asked the woman the cost of her services.

He then told her he was going to get money from the bedroom before he took out a screwdriver and put it against her neck.

He said, “Don’t mess with me, motherfucker” and threatened to kill her.

He then dragged the terrified woman to his bedroom and shouted at her to remove all of her clothing.

He pushed her face down onto the bed, then forced her to perform oral sex before raping her vaginally and anally.

The court heard he was holding the screwdriver throughout.

Barwell apologised afterwards and described what happened as “role-playing”.

The complainant got dressed, and when she tried to leave, he offered her a glass of wine and told her she couldn’t leave until he paid her.

She gave him Revolut account details for a friend so he could make a payment.

The court heard that gardaí did not become aware of this second incident until after the third victim contacted them.

Two weeks later, on August 27, an arrangement was made between the third victim and Barwell.

He took her to the bedroom and then shouted at her to remove her clothes. He was holding a screwdriver and told her they were going to have sex or he would kill her.

The woman started to scream and banged on the window, looking for help. He threatened to kill her if she didn’t shut up, then threw her onto the bed.

He still had the screwdriver in his hand.

She fought back, kicking and slapping, and one kick connected to his nose, causing it to bleed.

Barwell called her a “crazy bitch” and told her to get out.

The woman ran out of Barwell’s apartment, and some passersby contacted the gardaí.

The Garda Armed Response Unit attended the scene and made a forced entry.

He was arrested and taken to a nearby garda station.

He was interviewed seven times, during which he accepted throwing the third victim on the bed but said she’d stolen from him.

He denied the allegations in relation to the other complainants and said the sexual contact was consensual.

He suggested to gardaí that the women had made up the allegations.

Barwell’s house was searched again on August 29, and a screwdriver was recovered. He has been remanded in custody since August 2021.

The investigating garda agreed with Dara Foynes SC, defending, that her client has a cocaine addiction and around €5,000 worth of the drug was found in his house during the search in January 2021.

He later pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cocaine for sale or supply, for which he received a suspended sentence.

It was further agreed that the victims said Barwell appeared to be under the influence of drugs during each incident and that he made no attempt to conceal his identity.

The garda accepted that Barwell was initially deemed unfit for interview and had no convictions prior to this. It was also agreed that he was pepper sprayed when gardaí forced entry into his home.