Courts / Cavan / Report
Man with history of assaulting women has prison sentence doubled three days before release date
Summary
A man with a documented history of assaulting women has had his prison sentence doubled by the Court of Appeal in Cavan, just three days before his scheduled release. Aaron Heffernan, aged 39 and residing in Cavan town, had pleaded guilty at Cavan Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of assault causing harm to his partner in October 2016. He was originally sentenced to two concurrent two-year terms in August 2017. The Court of Appeal found the original sentence unduly lenient and re-sentenced Heffernan to two consecutive two-year terms, resulting in a net four-year sentence. Mr Justice George Birmingham noted Heffernan's previous convictions for similar assaults involving other women and described a pattern of violence. The judge acknowledged the injured party's request for leniency but determined the gravity of the offending behaviour warranted the increased sentence. The new sentence was backdated to the original sentencing date.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man with history of assaulting women has prison sentence doubled three days before release date. Charges or matters: two counts of assaulting his partner causing her harm on October 21 and October 30, 2016. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- October 21 Incident
- October 30, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- August 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 30 Incident
- July 2016 Other
- April 30 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2000 to 2012 Other
- 2018-04-27 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: two counts of assaulting his partner causing her harm on October 21 and October 30, 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Mr Justice Birmingham said the sentences imposed did not reflect the gravity of the offending behaviour. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Alan Mahon and Mr Justice John Edwards, re-sentenced Heffernan to two years on each assault count but made one consecutive to the other, leaving him with a new net sentence of four years imprisonment backdated to the original date.
Places mentioned
- John Paul Avenue
- Cavan town
- Cavan
- Cavan Circuit Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- The Circuit Court
- Cavan
- Cavan Hospital
- In hospital
Topics
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