Court archive
Court reports mentioning Falcarragh, Donegal
2024-12-19 · Donegal
The Court of Appeal has rejected an appeal against conviction by a Donegal man sentenced to ten years imprisonment for the repeated rape of a teenager. Liam Carr, aged 62, with an address in Ballina, Falcarragh, County Donegal, was convicted following trial at the Central Criminal Court in Sligo in 2021 of 31 counts including sexual assault, anal rape and oral rape of the boy between September 1995 and September 2000. The trial was the fifth proceeding on the same charges, after juries in three earlier trials were discharged for legal reasons and a fourth jury could not reach agreement. Carr argued the multiple trials breached his right to a fair trial and raised concerns about witness evidence and jury directions. Justice Isobel Kennedy rejected these grounds, finding no abuse of process and noting the trial judge had properly directed the jury on the standard of proof and presumption of innocence. The conviction appeal has been dismissed.
2022-01-12 · Donegal
A man has been sentenced to ten years imprisonment following his conviction at the Central Criminal Court in Sligo on 31 counts of sexual assault and rape offences against a teenage boy in County Donegal between 1995 and 2000. The 59-year-old, with an address in Ballina, Falcarragh, was found guilty by jury after a trial that represented the fourth legal proceeding in the case. Earlier trials had been discharged for legal reasons or resulted in hung juries. The complainant, now aged 39, described enduring six years of "complete torture" through the protracted court process since first reporting the matter to gardaí in October 2015. He testified four times during proceedings. Mr Justice David Keane imposed a headline sentence of thirteen years, reduced to ten years to account for mitigating factors including the defendant's lack of prior convictions. A three-year post-release supervision order was also imposed. The defendant intends to appeal his conviction, and has been registered as a sex offender.
2021-12-13 · Donegal
A man has been convicted at the Central Criminal Court in Sligo of sexually abusing a child over a five-year period in Donegal. Liam Carr, aged 59 and with an address in Ballina, Falcarragh, County Donegal, was found guilty of 31 counts including sexual assault, anal rape and oral rape of the boy between September 1995 and September 2000. The jury could not agree on four further counts. The case reached trial four times after legal issues and previous jury disagreements. The victim, now aged 39, described the legal process in a statement read to the court as six years of "complete torture" since first approaching gardaí in October 2015. He stated he had given testimony on four separate occasions. Defence counsel indicated Carr does not accept the verdicts and intends to appeal his conviction. The case has been adjourned for sentencing on 17 January 2022.