Courts / Dublin / Report
Wife's plea of clemency for husband who raped her motivated by "guilt", DPP says
Summary
In a Dublin case, a 38‑year‑old man was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting his wife at their home on 30 August 2015. He denied the charges but accepted the jury's verdict and apologized to his wife in court. The wife, who had lived in fear of her husband's violence, later wrote a letter to the sentencing judge forgiving him and expressing regret for bringing the case against him. Judge Paul Coffey sentenced the man to five years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years on account of the wife's plea for clemency. The Director of Public Prosecutions is seeking a review of the three‑year jail term, arguing it is unduly lenient, and the man is appealing the severity of his sentence on the basis that the case is exceptional. The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement on both proceedings.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Wife's plea of clemency for husband who raped her motivated by "guilt", DPP says. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty
When:
- August 30, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2019-07-29 Publication
Why: He said she "regretted" making the complaint only because she did not realise what the consequences would be. CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; Mr Justice Paul Coffey sentenced the man to five years imprisonment and suspended the final two years on account of the victim's plea for clemency. He submitted that the sentencing judge could have imposed a wholly suspended sentence on strict conditions to "avoid any repetition" of the offences. "Some people might say" the woman's plea for clemency was "foolish" but it was in the case.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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