2015-07-21
Galway woman jailed for killing her former partner loses sentence appeal
Stage: Appeal
Outcome: Counsel for Thornton, Blaise O'Carroll SC, submitted that the sentence was excessive and the judge gave insufficient weight to mitigating factors beyond her great remorse and offer to plead guilty to manslaughter. Mr Justice Sheehan said the sentencing judge carefully identified 10 years as the appropriate starting point and he "quite correctly" mitigated the sentence by suspending the final three years on terms designed to incentivise Thornton's rehabilitation.