A serial burglar who broke into a woman's house in Dublin and raped her twice has been jailed for 9 years.

Gerard Kane of Dominic Street, Dun Laoghaire in Co. Dublin pleaded guilty on the 5th day of his trial to the attacks on June 11th last year.

The Central Criminal Court heard the victim was woken at 1.30am by a noise to find Mr. Kane standing in her bedroom doorway with socks on both hands carrying a hammer, screwdriver and small torch. 

She said she was terrified and started shouting "Who is it, what do you want?".

Kane initially demanded to know where the safe was before raping her twice.

He also threatened to bury her in the back garden and said he would hang himself if she went to the gardai. 

Attacker asked her out to dinner

As he left her home he gave her a hug and asked for her number so he could take her out to dinner.

In a victim impact report, the woman told the court that the week after the break-in was the worst of her life because she thought Kane might return and kill her "like he said he would".

The woman still suffers flashbacks and nightmares.

He was on bail at the time of the offences for a previous burglary of the constituency office of former Fianna Fail minister Barry Andrews for which he received a 2-year sentence.

He has 26 previous convictions for burglary, robbery, drugs and assault and has spent most of his adult life in prison.

Imposing a 12 year sentence, Mr. Justice Garrett Sheehan said the 36-year-old may yet lead a productive life.

He suspended the final 3 years of the sentence, two of which are suspended on condition that he completes a 4-year educational programme to Leaving Certificate level.