Courts / Dublin / Report

11-year sentence for years of degradation too high, rapist claims

Date
2021-10-22

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In 2016 a 39‑year‑old man was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court on 48 counts of rape, oral rape, rape with a screwdriver, rape with a vibrator and sexual assault at two Dublin locations between 2000 and 2005. He was sentenced to 11 years. The appeal, heard at the Court of Appeal, argues that the sentence was excessive because one third of the offences were committed when the offender was under 18 and that his youth should have been given greater weight. The appellant's counsel claims the trial judge erred in setting a 14‑year headline sentence and that the offender had no prior convictions. The appeal is pending; the court has not yet ruled on the sentence. The case remains an ongoing appeal.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 11-year sentence for years of degradation too high, rapist claims. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted

When:

March 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
2000 and 2005 Incident
2021-10-22 Publication

Why: Today at the Court of Appeal, Michael P O'Higgins SC, for the appellant, said that because his client's offending commenced when he was 16, the trial judged erred by not giving sufficient weight to his client's age at the time. CNI source report