A man who raped one woman and sexually assaulted another during the same night has been sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment, with the court describing his pattern of offending as a serious aggravating factor. The sentencing brings to a close a case that has cast a long shadow over the lives of two women for almost a decade.
The Central Criminal Court heard that Luca Fox (30) carried out the offences while heavily intoxicated, attacking both women in their beds as they attempted to sleep. The crimes occurred at a house in Co Cork on 21 October 2015, when all parties were aged 20.
“A Place of Safety Was Violated”
Passing sentence, Melanie Greally, sitting as a judge of the Central Criminal Court, said the multiplicity of Fox’s offending significantly aggravated the seriousness of the case. She also emphasised that both assaults occurred in a location that should have been a place of safety for the victims.
The judge imposed a seven-year sentence in relation to the rape offences and a concurrent two-and-a-half-year sentence for the sexual assault. The sentences were backdated to 25 November, when Fox entered custody.
Victim Speaks of a Decade of Trauma
One of the women, who was raped twice during the incident, delivered a powerful victim impact statement outlining the devastating and long-lasting consequences of the attack.
“This made me become a fearful shell of myself,” she told the court.
She described how the trauma had affected every aspect of her life over the past ten years — from her mental and physical health to her relationships, education, and career. She said she had not experienced a moment of genuine peace since the night of the attack.
In a deeply emotional statement, she explained that at the time she had felt sympathy for Fox and did not want to “ruin a young person’s life”.
“I ended up sacrificing mine instead,” she said.
She told the court she lives in a constant state of survival, suffering panic attacks, stress-related physical symptoms, and periods of substance misuse as a way of coping. Her confidence and self-worth were “on the floor”, she said, leaving her isolated and hyper-vigilant, particularly around men.
She added that even milestones and positive moments in her life had been overshadowed by the trauma.
Details of the Night
The court heard that Fox, who was living in Cork and attending college at the time, had been socialising heavily on the night in question and was extremely drunk. He later accompanied a group back to their home after they felt sorry for him.
Once there, he became loud and disruptive. The group ate food and smoked cannabis in a bedroom, and residents attempted to persuade Fox to sleep downstairs.
During this time, one woman made a remark about having sex with Fox if he ordered and paid for pizza. The court was told that she ultimately paid for the pizza herself and did not intend the comment seriously.
Fox later returned to the bedroom where the woman and her friend were sleeping. He got into the bed and attempted multiple times to pull down the woman’s underwear. Despite her repeatedly telling him “no”, he raped her twice while her friend slept nearby.
The woman described being face down in a pillow during the assault and recalled the relief she felt when she could breathe freely again once it stopped.
Aftermath and Garda Contact
The following morning, the woman attended a sexual assault treatment unit and contacted gardaí, though she did not wish to make a formal complaint at that stage.
There was later contact from Fox in which he apologised, stating that it was clear she was “not up for seconds”. She responded that she had not consented the first time either. Fox claimed he did not recall her refusing and said he believed he had been misled by her earlier pizza comment.
The court also heard that a second woman was sexually assaulted in her bed by Fox that same night. She described him “grinding” on top of her while she tried to sleep, saying it felt like he could not hear her protests. She eventually had to kick him away before he left.
Delayed Complaint and Interview in Spain
A formal complaint was not made until 2021, several years after the incident. By then, Fox was living in Spain, where he was interviewed by gardaí in 2023.
During the interview, Fox claimed the first woman had given an understanding that one sexual act had been consensual and suggested she could have asked for help or said no. Regarding the second woman, he initially said he did not know who she was, later stating that he had spooned her and left when told to get off.
An investigating garda told the court that Fox was cooperative during questioning, acknowledging that as the interview progressed, more details appeared to return to him.
Guilty Plea and Jury Conviction
Fox pleaded guilty to sexual assault of one woman and was convicted by a jury of two counts of rape of the other. He has no previous convictions and accepted the jury’s verdict.
Through his legal team, Fox issued an apology to both women.
Judge Considers Mitigation
In sentencing, Ms Justice Greally said she had taken into account several mitigating factors, including Fox’s youth at the time of the offences, his background, family support, and his history of addiction and mental health difficulties.
A probation report before the court identified a correlation between Fox’s harmful behaviour and his substance abuse issues, placing him at an average to moderate risk of reoffending. The report also noted that he had demonstrated insight and remorse regarding the lasting impact of his actions.
Fox’s defence counsel highlighted his cooperation with authorities, psychiatric hospital admissions, and efforts to address addiction issues. References from family members, including his parents, were also submitted to the court.
No Post-Release Supervision Order
Noting that Fox is now resident in Spain, the length of time that had passed since the offences, and his engagement with treatment, the judge decided not to impose a post-release supervision order.
“I Hope You Understand the Gravity”
In closing her statement, the first victim addressed Fox directly, describing the trial process as a “torment”.
“I hope you have taken the time to understand the gravity of what you have done,” she said.
She expressed hope that the sentence would allow her to finally begin moving forward and that Fox would never harm another person again.
The second injured party did not attend court and did not submit a victim impact statement.
