49-year-old Wexford man has eight life sentences upheld for rape

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A 49-year-old Wexford man had eight life sentences for rape upheld by the Court of Appeal. The proceedings were reported on 2 October 2018.

He pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping two women in Dublin between 2 and 5 July 2015. He also pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, attempted rape, aggravated burglary, making threats to kill and aggravated sexual assault.

Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy sentenced him to life imprisonment on each of the eight counts. The eight life sentences were to run concurrently.

The Court of Appeal dismissed his sentence challenge, finding life imprisonment appropriate because of the offending’s exceptional features. Giving judgment, Mr Justice George Birmingham said the court was not persuaded the sentences were unduly severe.