Courts / Mayo / Report
Man jailed for life for raping four daughters begins appeal
Summary
A man serving a life sentence for raping four of his daughters has launched an appeal against his sentence at the Court of Criminal Appeal. The 52-year-old was convicted in December 2011 at the Central Criminal Court in Castlebar, County Mayo, after pleading guilty to sample counts of rape and child cruelty spanning an 18-year period from 1991 to 2009. His counsel argued that the trial judge erred in principle by allowing victim support considerations to become the primary factor in imposing the life sentence, contending that the guilty plea should have carried greater mitigating weight. The State's counsel maintained there was no error in law, noting the offences were at the top end of the scale and that a threat made by the appellant against one victim justified the sentence. The Court of Criminal Appeal reserved judgement, with a decision expected on 15 January 2014.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man jailed for life for raping four daughters begins appeal. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 1991 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 2009 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 15 Hearing Or Sentence
- New Year Other
- 2013-12-16 Publication
Why: In December 2011 the man, who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the victims, was jailed for life by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Castlebar, Co Mayo. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: A man who was jailed for life for raping four of his daughters has argued on appeal that victim support should not become the "dynamic factor" in the imposition of life sentences. In December 2011 the man, who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the victims, was jailed for life by Mr Justice Paul Carney at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Castlebar, Co Mayo.
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