Courts / Ireland / Report
20-year sentence for 'evil and disgusting' child rapist is upheld
Summary
In 2017 a 53‑year‑old farm labourer was sentenced to 20 years for raping six children and molesting a seventh over a 17‑year period. The victims, aged between seven and ten when the abuse began, described weekly assaults in farm sheds, outhouses and fields. The man, who started offending at 15, pleaded guilty to 52 charges including oral and anal rape. In November 2020 the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal, rejecting arguments for a partially suspended sentence and citing the lack of remorse or evidence of rehabilitation. The court noted the severity of the offences, the absence of a "lapse from grace", and the man's adult status at the time of most abuses. The 20‑year sentence, with five years of post‑release supervision, was upheld.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 20-year sentence for 'evil and disgusting' child rapist is upheld. Charges or matters: 187 counts of indecent assault and sexual assault of the seven children between 1982 and 1999. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 2016 Incident
- March 2017 Incident
- 1982 and 1999 Incident
- 2020-11-09 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: 187 counts of indecent assault and sexual assault of the seven children between 1982 and 1999 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The abuser, described as "evil and disgusting" by one of his victims, was jailed for 20 years in 2017 for a series of offences over a 17-year period. Barrister for the appellant, Roderick O'Hanlon SC, argued that the sentencing judge should have imposed a partially suspended sentence to give his client an incentive to rehabilitate.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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