Courts / Ireland / Report
Rapist who spoke to juror during trial has sentence cut on appeal
Summary
A 60‑year‑old Laois man was convicted of anal rape of a 34‑year‑old woman at her home on 10 October 2010. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty after a five‑day trial and Judge Deirdre Murphy sentenced him to seven‑and‑a‑half years on 29 February 2016. He appealed the conviction but lost. He successfully appealed the sentence, arguing that the judge had not stated the discount for mitigating factors. The Court of Appeal, led by Justice John Edwards, reduced the sentence by 18 months, citing the man's good behaviour in prison, first‑time offender status and positive character. The final imposed term was six years imprisonment, with no mention of a suspended portion or effective custody. The appeal also addressed a brief incident where the accused spoke to a juror at a Luas stop, which the court found did not warrant discharging the jury.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Rapist who spoke to juror during trial has sentence cut on appeal. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- October 10, 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 29, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2017-05-09 Publication
Why: The explanation was that the then accused did not recognise the juror and had simply asked for directions possibly because his car was parked at the Red Cow Park + Ride. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; A Laois resident jailed for raping a woman as she slept following a night out has had his prison sentence cut on appeal. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced him to seven-and-a-half years imprisonment on February 29, 2016.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- The Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- Red Cow Park
Topics
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