Man gets 13 years’ jail for raping woman with Down Syndrome

A JUDGE has sentenced Faisal Ellahi to 13 years in jail for raping a young woman with Down Syndrome.

Ellahi (34), who is originally from Haripur in Pakistan, had pleaded not guilty last year to rape, sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person at his Dublin home on June 12, 2013. A jury at the Central Criminal Court convicted him of the rape and sexual assault charges.

Mr Justice Tony Hunt said he would not suspend any portion of the sentence as he hoped Ellahi would not be in the community on release.

He said the crime, which had “carelessly demolished” the victim’s independence, was at the lower end of the upper range in seriousness.

Judge Hunt commented that the “frightening, appalling, disgusting and depraved” offence committed by Ellahi had taken away years of work in helping the woman lead an independent life.

He said this was “all blown away for a couple of minutes of instant gratification”.

The judge noted that Ellahi had been out “prowling” the streets approaching another woman at the same time his victim was walking home.

Judge Hunt backdated the sentence to when Ellahi entered custody and wished the woman and her family well in the future.

Conor Gallagher and Aoife Nic Ardghail