Courts / Dublin / Report

Jail for rapist who claimed he was 'having affair' with teenage stepdaughter

Date
2024-07-31
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Anthony Byrne, 55, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court following his conviction on two counts of raping his stepdaughter, Kim Jordan, in 2002. Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring imposed an 11-year prison term, with the final 18 months suspended. The sentence was backdated to May 15 last year to account for time already spent in custody. Byrne, of Ballyfermot, Dublin 10, was found guilty after a trial in May. The court heard the offences occurred when Ms Jordan was 15, including an incident in Spain on her birthday and a subsequent attack in their family home. Ms Jordan waived her anonymity to allow Byrne to be named. The judge noted aggravating factors, including the rape of a child and the breach of safety in the victim's bedroom. Byrne had claimed the encounters were consensual, describing them as an "affair," a view the judge rejected, citing a lack of remorse and understanding of consent. In a victim impact statement, Ms Jordan stated she felt humiliated by Byrne's trial conduct, which she said portrayed her as a "teenage sexual temptress." The judge acknowledged Byrne had no previous convictions and had worked his whole life. The matter was finalised with the imposition of the custodial sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for rapist who claimed he was 'having affair' with teenage stepdaughter. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Found guilty

When:

Case subjects

Anthony Byrne

Convicted Person

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty; Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, who previously noted Byrne had said he was "having an affair with his teenage stepdaughter", sentenced him to 11 years with the final 18 months suspended and backdated it to May 15 last for time spent in custody.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Central Criminal Court
Residence

Topics

Stage Sentence

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