Tourist followed woman around Dublin Airport and sexually assaulted her, court hears
Isabel Hayes
A tourist followed a young woman around Dublin Airport and sexually assaulted her by sniffing her hair, hugging and kissing her, a court has heard.
Rogerio Afonso (56) was not taking his anti-psychotic medication and had travelled to Dublin with no accommodation booked when he committed the offence in August last year, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard.
He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 13 years ago, the court heard.
Afonso, with an address at Sao Paolo, Brazil, pleaded guilty to one count of sexually assaulting the 19-year-old woman at the airport on August 4th 2025.
He has no previous convictions and has been in custody since his arrest that day.
He is divorced and has two adult daughters – one living in Brazil and the other in Malta. The daughter in Malta has offered to travel to Ireland and escort her father back to Brazil, the court heard.
Sentencing him on Tuesday, Judge Jonathan Dunphy said the aggravating factors included the seriousness of the charge and the persistence of Afonso's actions on the day in question, including following the woman around the airport.
He noted Afonso had mental health difficulties and that his condition had markedly improved in custody since he resumed taking his medication. “If he remains compliant on medication, he is viewed at low risk (of re-offending),” the judge said.
He handed down a sentence of 12 months but said he was willing to suspend it in full, given that Afonso has spent seven months in custody.
He said Afonso must return to Brazil in the care of his daughter as part of the conditions of the suspended sentence.
He deferred the sentence to later this week to allow time for the daughter in Malta to be informed and to make travel arrangements.
He said he wished for a family member of Afonso to attend court for the finalisation of the sentence so they are aware of the conditions. He remanded Afonso in custody on the same terms until then.
Garda Aine McQuillan told Fiona Pekaar, prosecuting, that on the day in question, gardaí were alerted to a complaint about a man in Terminal 1.
The court heard that the 19-year-old complainant had been staying with a relative in Dublin, but missed her coach to Donegal and was taking a flight instead.
She was in Terminal 1 when she became aware that someone was pulling her hair. She turned to see a man – Afonso – smelling her hair.
The woman said, “Please don't touch me”, before Afonso started showing her photos of his travels in Ireland.
He told her she was “very special” and a “young, pretty woman”, which made her feel uncomfortable and she went outside to the smoking area to avoid him. He followed her outside and got her in a tight hug before kissing her on both cheeks and her neck.
The woman struggled to get away from him and stood on his foot to escape him before walking back into the terminal in search of help. Afonso walked beside her until she went into the women's toilets and alerted a cleaner to her plight.
Afonso then entered the toilets, but the cleaner intervened, and gardaí arrived shortly afterwards.
The maximum sentence for sexual assault is 10 years, the court heard.
A victim impact statement was handed into court but not read aloud.
Maria Brosnan BL, defending, said her client had a history of bipolar disorder and had previously been involuntarily detained in a mental health facility.
He arrived in Dublin on a flight from Lisbon and had no accommodation booked in the city.
Defence counsel said Afonso's actions were completely out of character and he is deeply remorseful for how misguided his interaction with the young woman was.
He wanted the court to know that kissing on both cheeks is customary in Brazil, but that he recognised his behaviour was “entirely inappropriate”.
When on medication, he does well, and he just wants to get back to his family in Brazil, Brosnan said.
Judge Dunphy commended the victim for her maturity in how she dealt with the incident.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.
