Appeal court replaced child rapist’s life sentence with 15 years

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

The Court of Criminal Appeal replaced Philip Sullivan’s life sentence with a 15-year term, suspending the final two and a half years on conditions. The court said a determinate sentence with post-release supervision was appropriate in his case.

Sullivan had pleaded guilty to offences against two boys and was to attend psychological counselling, follow Probation Service directions and undergo 10 years of post-release supervision. The registered reports concern the 2009 appeal ruling; they do not establish any later proceedings about an alleged breach of release conditions.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.