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Serial sex offender Cooke loses appeal against 14-year sentence
Summary
Kenneth Cooke, 56, of Limekiln Green, Walkinstown, Dublin, lost an appeal against a 14‑year jail term imposed for sexually assaulting two boys. He pleaded guilty to 21 counts of assaulting a boy aged 11‑13 between January 2000 and July 2003, and pleaded not guilty to 56 counts of assaulting another boy between December 1980 and December 1985. Judge Patricia Ryan gave a nine‑year sentence with four years suspended for the first victim and an eleven‑year sentence with two years suspended for the second victim, making the sentences consecutive. The Court of Appeal upheld the 14‑year net sentence, finding no error in the judge's decision or in the application of mitigation. Cooke was led away to begin serving the sentence in November 2016. The appeal was dismissed. Kenneth Cooke was convicted.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Serial sex offender Cooke loses appeal against 14-year sentence. Charges or matters: 21 counts of sexually assaulting a boy between January 2000 and July 2003 when the boy was aged between 11 and 13 years of age; 56 counts of indecently assaulting another boy between December 1980 and December 1985 and was convicted by a jury. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- January 2000 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 2003 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 1980 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 1985 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-04-11 Publication
Why: The child began suffering from nightmares because of the abuse, including one so frightening that he tried to jump out a window in his sleep. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: 21 counts of sexually assaulting a boy between January 2000 and July 2003 when the boy was aged between 11 and 13 years of age; 56 counts of indecently assaulting another boy between December 1980 and December 1985 and was convicted by a jury (Proven)
Plea: Guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Judge Patricia Ryan imposed a nine year sentence with four suspended for abuse of the first boy which began in 1980. She also imposed an eleven year sentence with two suspended for the abuse of the second boy.
Places mentioned
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