Two men jailed for sexually assaulting teenage girls in Co Mayo

By Sonya McLean and Fiona Ferguson

Two men who sexually assaulted two teenage friends on a disused railway line in Co Mayo have been jailed.

Rudolf Makula (30), of Gleann Ard, Ballaghderreen, Roscommon, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting one of the girls on March 28th, 2023.

Marian Peci (29), of no fixed abode, denied a charge of sexual assault and false imprisonment of a second girl but was convicted following a trial at the Central Criminal Court.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott said the teenage girls had gone out to meet their friends and congregated where they felt safe, as happens all the time in towns around the country.

He said every young woman was entitled to feel safe, confident and have peace of mind when they go out and meet friends in the evening and have a few drinks.

He said the victim impact reports in the case set out in very stark terms the effects of the sexual assault on the two girls, including a sense of violation and powerlessness.

He noted their lives and education had been interfered with, and one of the girls blamed herself somewhat.

Courageous path

He said the message she should take from the "courageous path" she and her friend have taken to follow this case through was that what happened was not her fault, and that the fault lies with the offenders.

He noted probation reports in relation to the men made for disappointing reading, outlining that they included no remorse, as well as deflection and minimisation of the offending.

The judge said the two men were much older and more experienced than the two girls.

When they came across the young people socialising, they saw an opportunity to insinuate their way into their company and then sought to abuse the girls for their own sexual satisfaction, he said.

The judge said the men treated the girls in a demeaning and humiliating way and acted with an entitlement to do as they wanted. He noted they had plied the girls with further alcohol, making them more vulnerable.

He said the girls were very lucky their friend had called two young men who rescued the girls and took them home. He said these young men were to be commended.

Justice McDermott said young women out for the night should not have to run the risk of older men preying on them.

Sentencing

The judge imposed a three-and-a-half-year sentence in the case of Makula and a three-year sentence in the case of Peci. He ordered two years of post-release supervision for both men.

During a sentence hearing earlier this week, a local garda told Diana Stuart SC, prosecuting, that the two girls had gone to the railway line to drink alcohol along with a third girl.

While they were there, they met Makula and Peci, who offered them more alcohol and joined the group.

Makula then separated one of the girls and brought her behind some bushes. He turned her around, restrained her hands behind her back, removed her underwear and sexually assaulted her. He also forced her to touch his penis.

The garda said the girl screamed, but Makula told her: “It's fine, it's fine.”

She ultimately broke away from her and returned to her friends. By this time, the third girl had messaged two male friends who arrived to help the girls.

The second victim was described as extremely intoxicated and did not have much recollection of what happened.

She later told gardaí that Peci grabbed her and led her away from the group. He kissed her and touched her breasts and bottom.

He asked her for sex, but she said no. She struggled to get away, but her friends found her and led her away.

The men were nominated as suspects after the incident was reported to gardaí and footage from the local area was analysed.

Makula was arrested the following month. He denied any involvement. He said he was on the phone to his wife and saw Peci kissing and hugging a girl.

Makula later pleaded guilty. Both men have been in custody since August 2025.

Makula has two previous convictions for burglary, one from Ireland and one from Slovakia.

Peci has 49 convictions for public order, theft and road traffic offences.

Lasting impact

One of the girls stated in her victim impact statement that the sexual assault had a lasting impact on the way she sees herself and the world around her.

She said she has “overwhelming fear, confusion and shame”. She wakes up with a sense of dread that she cannot explain.

She struggled with feeling safe, and her trust in others has been damaged.

“Simple things that once felt normal now feel difficult,” she said.

She said it has impacted her mental health and ability to focus on work and education.

"I did not choose what happened to me, yet I have to carry the consequences of someone else's actions,” she said.

“The sense of powerlessness and violation stays with me,” she continued, “I want accountability for the harm done."

“This has changed me, altered my sense of safety and peace of mind. It has an ongoing impact on my daily life,” she said.

She said she is trying to rebuild her confidence and thanked those who supported her, her family, victim support, the gardai and the court.

The second victim said that for almost two years now, her life has stopped.

She said she carried so much guilt, shame and blamed herself. She was angry with herself for not being strong enough to carry on.

She said she hated that her life had been stolen from her and suffers from constant anxiety and paranoia.

“It didn't just hurt me once; it took years of my life,” she said. She said it will continue to impact her for the rest of her life.

Michael Bowman SC, defending Makula, said young people have the right to socialise where they like without fear of incidents such as this.

He described it as a grievous violation and said that his client accepts and acknowledges that. He said Makula wants to apologise unreservedly.

He is a Slovakian national, father of four children, and his partner had a child while he was in custody.

Kathleen Leader SC, defending Peci, said he has a large extended family who have supported him throughout.

She said he is in a stable relationship with two children and is a Slovakian national.

Counsel accepted that the aggravating features were that the girls were juveniles, had been drinking and were given more to drink by the men.

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.