Courts / Galway / Report

Violent, high-risk rapist received excessive discount for being non-English speaker

Date
2023-01-19

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Loughrea

County
Galway

Summary

In a 2023 Court of Appeal hearing, the court increased the sentence of Costel Pirvu, a 39‑year‑old non‑English‑speaking foreign national, for raping a 19‑year‑old woman with a mild intellectual disability three times after forcibly taking her to his apartment. The original six‑and‑a‑half‑year term was quashed and replaced with a ten‑year imprisonment, with the final year‑and‑a‑half suspended. The appeal judge criticised the trial judge for giving an excessive discount for Pirvu's language barrier, describing it as "extremely high" and "excessive". The judge noted Pirvu's prior convictions, including attempted rape, and a disturbing probation report that showed no remorse or empathy toward the victim. The new sentence was back‑dated to the date Pirvu entered custody in August 2018. The decision was made after a nine‑day trial at the Central Criminal Court where Pirvu pleaded not guilty to all counts. Costel Pirvu was found guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Violent, high-risk rapist received excessive discount for being non-English speaker. Charges or matters: three counts of rape and one of false imprisonment after a nine-day trial at the Central Criminal Court last year. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

February 4, 2018 Incident
August 7, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
August 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
2023-01-19 Publication

Why: Counsel said Pirvu unduly benefited in mitigation because the trial judge had factored in his status as a foreign national with no English, which would make prison life more difficult for him. CNI source report

Case subjects

Costel Pirvu

Convicted Person

Charges: three counts of rape and one of false imprisonment after a nine-day trial at the Central Criminal Court last year (Proven)

Plea: Not guilty

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty; He said the court would quash the original jail sentence of six-and-a-half years and substitute it with a sentence of ten years' imprisonment with the final year-and-a-half suspended. After a Court of Appeal hearing earlier this week, Ms Brennan successfully argued on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions that Pirvu's sentence had been unduly lenient.