A Dublin man who raped his 65-year-old mother on Mother’s Day has been sentenced to 15 years.

Imposing the sentence, Mr Justice Barry White said this was one of the most horrendous if not the most horrendous rape case he has ever encountered as a judge or legal practitioner.

At around 11pm on Mother's Day in March 2008 the 45-year-old called round to his mother's house, poured drinks, put on a Joe Dolan CD and then raped her.

He was convicted by a jury last July. He insists to this day that the sex was consensual and that one thing had 'led to another'.

His mother, now 70, was on a number of medications and told the jury she must have blacked out during the attack.

Today the court heard her son absconded to the UK after he was charged and that he has a previous manslaughter conviction for killing a woman.

Mr Justice Barry White imposed a 15 year sentence with two and a half years suspended.