2015-03-19
Judge says "serious questions to be asked" over failure of DPP to notify court that man committed new crime while on suspended sentence
Stage: Sentence
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Today Judge Mary Ellen Ring said that no mention of Moran's active suspended sentence had been made by the DPP at the appropriate time in the case, and that she now had to act as though it was not active. Judge Ring said that there are "serious questions as to why provisions in legislation were not followed, but that is not for this court, it is for the prosecuting authorities." Under Section 99 of the 2006 Criminal Justice Act, any new sentence imposed for crimes committed while a suspended sentence is active must run consecutively to the suspended sentence.