Victim believed abuser had built shed for purposes of sexually assaulting her

A man aged 67 has appealed his sentence at the Court of Appeal following conviction for sexually assaulting a victim over a 12-year period beginning when she was ten years old. He was sentenced to 12.5 years, with four years suspended, at Sligo Circuit Criminal Court in November 2020 after pleading guilty to 23 counts of sexual assault committed between September 1999 and May 2011. His legal representative argued the eight-year custodial term was excessive and disproportionate, citing his early guilty plea and absence of prior convictions. The Director of Public Prosecutions submitted the sentence appropriately reflected the severity of the abuse, which occurred in various locations including the appellant's vehicle, home, and garden shed. The victim reported experiencing lasting psychological harm, including anxiety and self-harm. The three-judge court has reserved judgment on the appeal.