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Octogenarian paedophile who used son as 'sexual plaything' fails in appeal
Summary
An 86‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld to protect a victim, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury of three counts of indecent assault against his son between 1977 and 1979. The son was described by the defendant's lawyers as a "sexual plaything" and was subjected to oral and anal rape, gagging and restraint. The judge, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy, imposed consecutive sentences totalling four years, noting that the maximum penalty at the time of the offences was two years and that the court was "hugely constrained" by sentencing limits. The defendant appealed on the ground that the trial judge failed to warn the jury about the uncorroborated evidence of the complainant. The Court of Appeal, led by Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, found no impermissible error and dismissed the appeal.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Octogenarian paedophile who used son as 'sexual plaything' fails in appeal. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty
When:
- May 15, 2017 Incident
- 1977 and 1979 Incident
- 2020-05-22 Publication
Why: The three judges of the Court of Appeal agreed with the stance taken by the trial judge, finding that this position should only be departed from where "there is good reason for so doing and where there is an evidential basis for the warning". CNI source report
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; The Clare man received consecutive sentences totalling four years imposed by Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy on May 15, 2017.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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