Courts / Ireland / Report
Man bids to overturn conviction for rape of girl (7) over lack of corroboration warning
Summary
In a bid to overturn a conviction, a 55‑year‑old man who raped and sexually assaulted a seven‑year‑old girl in a shared rented house has appealed on the basis that the trial judge failed to give the jury a corroboration warning. The trial, held in the Central Criminal Court in May 2023, found the man guilty of one count of rape and twelve counts of sexual assault committed between September 2022 and September 2023. He was sentenced to 10 years and six months for the rape and a concurrent 7 years and six months for the sexual assault. Defence counsel Maurice Coffey SC argued that the judge erred by not warning the jury about the dangers of convicting on uncorroborated evidence, a warning that the court had declined to issue. The Court of Appeal has reserved judgment on the appeal. The unnamed 55-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man bids to overturn conviction for rape of girl (7) over lack of corroboration warning. Charges or matters: all charges. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- May 2023 Incident
- September 21, 2012 Incident
- September 6, 2013 Incident
- May 9, 2023 Incident
- December 5, 2020 Other
- 2025-05-01 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: all charges (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; He was convicted on May 9, 2023 and was sentenced to 10 years and six months for the count of rape and a period of seven years and six months on the twelve counts of sexual assault, to run concurrently.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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