Courts / Limerick / Report

Rapist who had conviction quashed is jailed for same offence

Date
2019-05-09

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Limerick

Summary

Alan Hanley, the appellant, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Alex Owens at the Central Criminal Court following a third trial. Hanley had pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape alleged to have occurred at a house in Limerick city on the night of May 4/5, 2012. He had previously admitted assaulting the victim causing her harm on the same occasion. A jury returned a majority verdict of guilty on one count of rape but failed to agree on the other two counts, on which the State entered nolle prosequi. This follows a successful appeal last year where the Court of Appeal quashed his previous 12-and-a-half-year sentence, imposed in 2015 by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, due to the trial judge's failure to provide a corroboration warning. The current sentence was backdated to May 5, 2012. Mr Justice Owens ordered that Hanley complete a sex offenders course if deemed suitable, be under Probation Service supervision for six years post-release, and make no attempt to contact the victim or her family. Hanley verbally refused to comply with the course order in court. The judge cited aggravating factors including home invasion, prolonged violence, and lack of remorse.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Rapist who had conviction quashed is jailed for same offence. Charges or matters: three counts of rape at a house in Limerick city on the night of May 4/5 2012. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

May 4 Hearing Or Sentence
May 5, 2012 Incident
2019-05-09 Publication

Why: During the trial, the jury heard testimony that the attack ended when Hanley went upstairs to turn off a smoke alarm that had been activated because he was burning cut-up pieces of a rug on which he had ejaculated. CNI source report