Courts / Westmeath / Report
Rapist jailed for attack on 14-year-old girl has sentence cut on appeal
Summary
Martin Stokes, 25, of Corkhill, Kinnegad, was convicted of defilement of a child under 15 and of raping a 14‑year‑old girl in Westmeath on 3 June 2011. He denied the rape and assault, claiming the contact was consensual. A Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty on all counts and sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, with the final two years suspended by Mr Justice Carroll Moran on 7 August 2015. Stokes' appeal against conviction was dismissed in December. On appeal, the Court of Appeal re‑sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment, suspending the final three years. Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan noted that the original judge had given undue weight to Stokes' lies, leading to an error in the starting point of the sentence. The Court of Appeal considered the four‑year delay, Stokes' age at the time of the offence, and the need for rehabilitation, and imposed a good‑behaviour bond for the suspended period. Martin Stokes pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Rapist jailed for attack on 14-year-old girl has sentence cut on appeal. 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
- 2017-03-03 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: defilement of a child under the age of 15 at a location in Westmeath on June 3, 2011 (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; However, he was re-sentenced today to 10 years imprisonment with the final three suspended by the Court of Appeal. Stokes' barrister, Padraig Dwyer SC, submitted that the sentence imposed was disproportionate and excessive.
Places mentioned
- Kinnegad
- Appeal's view
- Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- Supreme Court
- In view
Topics
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
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request