Jail sentence for man who defiled girl (12) is upheld

A man's appeal against his four-year jail sentence for the sexual abuse of a child in County Cavan has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The appellant, now 23, pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court in June 2021 to defilement of a person under 15 years of age following an incident in 2017 when he was 17. The trial judge imposed a sentence of five and a half years in January 2022, suspending the final 18 months. The appellant's counsel argued the sentence was excessive, contending that the age difference between the accused and the victim was not inherently aggravating and that the duration of the assault was brief. The Court of Appeal found the trial judge had properly identified aggravating factors including coercion, persistence, and a significant age disparity. Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy noted the victim had repeatedly refused consent and dismissed the appeal, stating the headline sentence of seven years fell within the judge's discretion.