Courts / Limerick / Report

Rapist father who encouraged family dog in abuse loses appeal

Date
2020-06-17

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Limerick

Summary

Patrick Byrnes, aged 80, was convicted in 2018 by a Central Criminal Court jury of 58 indecent assault charges and two rapes committed between 1975 and 1985. The offences began when his daughters were about seven years old and continued twice weekly for ten years, largely in the family home. Byrnes, a retired taxi driver, denied all charges and claimed the prosecution had failed to properly address alleged fabrication and collusion by the complainants. He appealed on the basis that the trial judge had not adequately directed the jury on how to treat evidence from the two daughters. The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, noting that while a perfect trial is ideal, a fair trial is required. Byrnes was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, with two years suspended, by Justice Paul McDermott in October 2018.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Rapist father who encouraged family dog in abuse loses appeal. Charges or matters: all of the charges and continues to deny them. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted

When:

July 2018 Incident
October 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
1975 and 1985 Incident
2020-06-17 Publication

Why: The court agreed that it would have been desirable if the prosecution had 'set out its stall at the start of the case and explained why they were proceeding with counts involving two complainants, and how, in their view, the jury should deal with that situation'. Prosecution account reported by CNI