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Woman and partner jailed for a combined 33 years for rape and abuse of children to remain behind bars
Summary
In a Court of Appeal decision on 14 June 2024, a 41‑year‑old woman and a 53‑year‑old man were confirmed to remain imprisoned for a combined 33 years after convictions for rape, sexual abuse and related offences against their five‑year‑old daughter and three‑and‑a‑half‑year‑old son. The convictions, originally handed down by the Central Criminal Court in November 2022, were upheld despite the appeal. Justice Tara Burns criticised the eight‑year delay between the children's 2016 interviews with specialist Gardaí and the 2022 trial, calling it "truly shocking" and urging all authorities involved in child sex cases to act more expeditiously. She rejected the appeal's arguments that the delay or the use of leading questions in the interviews should have precluded the trial, affirming that the interviews were admissible and that the children were competent witnesses. The appeal court therefore maintained the original sentences and the case remains in custody.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman and partner jailed for a combined 33 years for rape and abuse of children to remain behind bars. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- October 2012 Incident
- September 2014 Incident
- November 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2024-06-14 Publication
Why: The two cannot be named in order to protect the identities of the two children. CNI source report
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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