Courts / Westmeath / Report
'Cunning, manipulative' abuser has sentence for defiling two teens reduced
Summary
In Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, a 31‑year‑old man was originally sentenced to 12 years in prison, with the last three years suspended, for defiling a 14‑year‑old girl and a 16‑year‑old girl at his apartment between 2017 and 2018. He pleaded guilty to both defilement offences and to two further counts of meeting a child for sexual exploitation. The Court of Appeal found the original 12‑year sentence excessive, reducing the headline sentence to 11 years. After considering mitigating factors, the court imposed a nine‑year prison term, suspending the final two years for ten years. The man remains on the Sex Offenders Register for life. The appeal was based on the judge's assessment of the gravity of the offences and the appellant's conduct, described as "cunning, manipulative and offensive.".
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Cunning, manipulative' abuser has sentence for defiling two teens reduced. Charges or matters: the defilement of a 14-year-old girl under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006 on dates between September 1, 2018 and November 24, 2018 at his apartment; a similar offence involving a 16-year-old girl on dates between May 1, 2017 and July 22, 2017 at the same location; further two counts of meeting a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation in relation to the same two victims. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- November 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- September 1, 2018 Incident
- November 24, 2018 Incident
- May 1, 2017 Incident
- July 22, 2017 Incident
- 2021-07-16 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: the defilement of a 14-year-old girl under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006 on dates between September 1, 2018 and November 24, 2018 at his apartment; a similar offence involving a 16-year-old girl on dates between May 1, 2017 and July 22, 2017 at the same location; further two counts of meeting a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation in relation to the same two victims (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The 31-year-old male succeeded in his appeal against the severity of the original sentence handed down at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court in November 2019 of a 12-year jail term with the final three years suspended. Allowing for mitigating factors, Ms Justice Kennedy sentenced the man to nine years in prison with the final two years suspended for a period of ten years.
Places mentioned
- Mullingar
- Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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