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Victim relieved as rapist who attacked her when she was schoolgirl loses appeal
Summary
In January 2022, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of John Giltrap, 61, who had been convicted of 20 counts of rape against Caroline Kavanagh, a girl aged between 10 and 15, during 1978‑1982 in Bunclody. Giltrap had originally pleaded not guilty to 22 counts but was found guilty on 20 by a jury at the Central Criminal Court in Kilkenny in December 2020 and sentenced to 11 years' imprisonment on each count, with the terms running concurrently. He argued the verdict was "perverse" and "contrary to the weight of evidence." The appellate judges, led by Mr Justice John Edwards, rejected the appeal, stating there was no evidence of jury speculation. Ms Kavanagh, present in the gallery, expressed relief at the decision, noting that Giltrap's lawyers were considering a further appeal of the sentence length.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Victim relieved as rapist who attacked her when she was schoolgirl loses appeal. Charges or matters: 22 counts of raping Caroline Kavanagh at various locations in Bunclody between December 1978 and March 1982. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 1978 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 1982 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2022-01-27 Publication
Why: Giltrap claimed that this wasn't possible because at the time of the offending he was "either at work or coming home from work", and that his mother-in-law's evidence supported his story. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: 22 counts of raping Caroline Kavanagh at various locations in Bunclody between December 1978 and March 1982 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Outcome: Speaking outside court, Ms Kavanagh said she was "happy he [Giltrap] has lost the appeal". "We will have to see what happens now," she added, referring to plans by Giltrap's lawyers to appeal the length of sentence.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- The house
Topics
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