Man (30) attacked sex worker and threatened to cut her neck while demanding refund

Tom Tuite

A man has been jailed for five years after he attacked a terrified sex worker, brandished a knife and threatened to "cut her neck" while demanding a refund.

Dylan McMahon (30), of Kilpatrick, Kildangan, Monasterevin, Co Kildare, who claimed he had lots of respect for women, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm to the woman "who did not think she would survive," and robbery.

It happened at a house in Athlone, Co Westmeath, where she had been working on March 26th, 2019.

Judge Keenan Johnson sentenced McMahon on Tuesday at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court.

He noted the victim had been in Ireland for four weeks and in Athlone for one day when she had the encounter with McMahon.

Judge Johnson noted she was humiliated and suffered trauma and had already been exploited and forced to provide a service which, but for her "dire" circumstances, she would have been unwilling to perform.

He set a headline sentence of nine years for the robbery; however, noting the guilty plea, he reduced it to six years with one year suspended for three years.

A three-year concurrent sentence was imposed for the assault.

The court heard the woman from the Dominican Republic, who has since left Ireland, had been working as an escort to support her family.

McMahon got her number from a website and made the appointment, during which she was attacked.

Although he admitted the charges, he still disputed portions of the prosecution evidence, which resulted in what is known as a Newton hearing.

Earlier, she told the court via video link that the woman said she advertised on a website and recalled that the accused arrived and asked to use the bathroom before enquiring how much she charged.

She accused McMahon of punching her face and body and said he pulled her by her hair into her bedroom before going to the kitchen and returning with a knife.

She agreed with prosecutor Cathal Ó Braonáin BL that McMahon was threatening to cut her neck.

The woman recounted how she begged him to leave her alone and told him that she had a family, but she said he "shrugged his shoulders" and told her to perform oral sex.

However, the court heard she kept a can of pepper spray and used it to fight him off her. She said he took €400 to €600 from her and a watch valued at €105.

He was still hitting her as she begged him to stop.

Cross-examined by the defence, she denied that she was not the lady McMahon expected to meet.

It was put to her that he did not want to engage in oral sex with her, and she offered him tablets to get an erection, which the victim did not accept.

McMahon told the court he went to see the escort because of depression and heartbreak after he split up with his former girlfriend.

He claimed he paid but was expecting to see a different woman and could not get an erection and that the victim went to get him Viagra to help him.

McMahon denied getting a knife and claimed that the woman went berserk and sprayed him when he demanded a refund.

He said he had a lot of respect for women and would never hit one, but accepted being guilty of the charges. However, he maintained that the theft was a recovery of the money he had paid.

McMahon contended that he was pepper-sprayed after he pulled up his trousers and said, "Can I have my money back?".

He tried to convince the court that the assault happened while he was trying to get out of her house, but he could barely see and was "nearly blind".

The court heard he left his phone and wallet at the scene after he fled, which led to his arrest a day later in an intoxicated state.

Victim impact statement

In her victim impact statement, the woman opened up about how she turned to escort work "to support my family, including my brother, who had an accident and needed care."

The assault left her with facial and body injuries and feeling humiliated. She still finds it difficult to sleep.

Father of one McMahon, who suffered an acquired brain injury almost ten years ago, was unable to explain the woman's injuries.

The court heard he suffered from severe anxiety, instability and low mood. His mental health issues had been exasperated by drug and alcohol abuse.

Judge Johnson heard that McMahon had 33 prior convictions and was already serving a three-year sentence since 2023 for a criminal damage offence.

He said he was satisfied that McMahon had a "huge credibility issue" and he had lost his temper.

He accepted the complainant's version and noted the impact the incident had on her from a victim impact statement.

The accused, who did not address the court, must remain under Probation Service supervision, refrain from alcohol and illicit drugs and continue addiction treatment for three years following his release from prison.