Courts / Cork / Report
Cork man fails in appeal against sexual abuse sentence
Summary
A 39‑year‑old man from Cork, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, was convicted by a Central Criminal Court jury of 23 counts of sexually abusing his younger sister between 1991 and 1997, when he was aged 14 to 20. He had been tried on a 43‑count indictment but was acquitted of the remaining charges. Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, with the final year suspended, on 29 October 2014. The man appealed against the severity of the sentence, but the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, finding no error in principle. Mr Justice John Edwards noted that the victim was four years younger than the offender and that the offender had literacy and numeracy difficulties at school, leaving without educational achievements. He had expressed remorse at sentencing, and the judge gave a 20% discount when suspending the final year.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Cork man fails in appeal against sexual abuse sentence. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Acquitted
When:
- October 29, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- 1991 and 1997 Other
- 2016-12-13 Publication
Why: Mr Justice Edwards said the Court of Appeal rejected a complaint that the sentence was too high because the man was a minor when the majority of the offences were committed. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Finding: Acquitted
Outcome: Acquitted; A man jailed for the regular abuse of his younger sister, from when he was aged 14 until 20, has had an appeal against the severity of his sentence dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Mr Justice Paul Carney sentenced him to five years imprisonment with the final year suspended on October 29, 2014.
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