Courts / Westmeath / Report

Court upholds conviction of Westmeath man for rape of 14-year-old girl

Summary

Martin Stokes, aged 25, of Corkhill, Kinnegad, was convicted of defilement of a child under 15 and of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in a field in Westmeath on 3 June 2011. He pleaded not guilty, denied knowledge of the girl and later claimed their interaction was consensual. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on all counts. He received a 12‑year sentence, with the final two years suspended by Mr Justice Carroll Moran on 7 August 2015. Stokes appealed on 14 grounds, including the admission of inadmissible hearsay that he had threatened the complainant and other procedural objections. The Court of Appeal, after considering the grounds cumulatively, rejected the appeal. Stokes did not react to the judgment and will appeal the severity of his sentence in the next term.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Court upholds conviction of Westmeath man for rape of 14-year-old girl. Charges or matters: defilement of a child under the age of 15 at a location in Westmeath on June 3, 2011. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

• June 3, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
• August 7, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2016-12-20 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal

Related court reports

• Man who stabbed 'soft-hearted' father to death committed to CMH
• Jury takes just 29 minutes to find man not guilty of murdering 'soft-hearted' father by reason of insanity
• Fire drill delays jury deliberations in trial of mentally ill man who stabbed 'placid, warm-hearted' father
• Grandmother lying in hospital bed when grandson told her he'd murdered his father, trial hears
• Jury sworn-in to hear Stefan Posschier murder trial
• Garda who caused death of mum-of-three to be jailed after successful appeal

Read the original CNI report