Garda Found Guilty of Sexual Assault and False Imprisonment at Co Wicklow Station

A garda has been found guilty of sexually assaulting and falsely imprisoning a woman at Aughrim Garda Station in Co Wicklow.

Garda William Ryan, 38, had pleaded not guilty to three charges of sexual assault and one charge of false imprisonment that occurred in September 2020.

The victim described the incident as shocking, horrifying, and terrifying.

She had initially visited the garda station seeking Ryan’s assistance to retrieve her car, which had been seized while her son was driving it.

After helping her with the car retrieval process, Ryan made inappropriate comments about her body, then grabbed and slapped her backside as she was leaving.

Ryan reportedly told her that she owed him a favor in return.

The woman testified that she felt trapped and terrified, eventually showing Ryan a photograph of herself in a bikini in an attempt to appease him and escape. Despite this, she was sexually assaulted twice more.

Later that night, she confided in her husband, expressing her belief that because Ryan was a garda, he felt he could act with impunity.

Ryan took the stand and provided his version of events, claiming the woman had shown him “raunchy” photos and behaved in a sexually suggestive manner.

He alleged that their encounter was consensual.

The jury found Ryan guilty this afternoon. He has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced in October. Ryan gave no reaction to the verdict.