Courts / Tipperary / Report

Character referees should be cross-examined in court, High Court judge says

Summary

During a sentencing hearing in the High Court, Mr Justice David Keane said that character referees for convicted criminals should be required to appear in court for cross‑examination. The judge was hearing the case of a 38‑year‑old Tipperary man convicted of repeated rape and sexual assault of his son, who was aged between one and eight at the time of the offences. Lawyers had requested that the court receive character references from the man's partner, parents and GP. Mr Justice Keane referred to a recent Court of Appeal dicta that any person wishing to give a character reference must be present in court and available for cross‑examination, and he suggested that references from family members might be given limited weight. The judge also noted that the victim, now a teenager, had stated that the abuse had no lasting effect on him. The case was adjourned to 1 July, and the defendant was remanded in custody.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Character referees should be cross-examined in court, High Court judge says. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted

When:

• Friday, July 1 Adjournment
• 2007 and 2014 Incident
• 2022-06-24 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report