Courts / Donegal / Report
Criminal who raped and controlled partner rejects jury verdict, court hears
Summary
A man convicted of raping, assaulting and coercively controlling a woman over a six-week period has appealed his conviction at the Court of Appeal, arguing his trial was prejudiced by inadmissible evidence. Dean Ward, aged 38, was found guilty in June 2022 of twelve offences committed between June and July 2019 against a woman in Killybegs, County Donegal. He received a sentence of eighteen years, suspended by one year. Ward's counsel submitted that the complainant's references during evidence to previous threats to kill, and prosecution remarks concerning bank transfers, created unfairness that could not be remedied by judicial direction. Counsel also challenged the admission of impact evidence given by the complainant. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel countered that such evidence was admissible and essential to establish the complainant's state of mind and the coercive control element of the offences. Mr Justice John Edwards reserved judgment, with a decision to follow.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Criminal who raped and controlled partner rejects jury verdict, court hears. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted
When:
- June 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 11 Hearing Or Sentence
- July 17, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- May 2019 Incident
- July 2022 Incident
- 2025-05-06 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; He imposed a four-year term, to run concurrently, for the offence of coercive control, which has a maximum sentence of five years.
Places mentioned
Topics
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