Courts / Kildare / Report
Child sex offender argues trial was unfair
Summary
A 41‑year‑old man, Andrew Leigh, was convicted of historic sexual assaults on three girls and sentenced to four years in prison by Mr Justice David Keane on 18 December 2023. Leigh now appeals to the Court of Appeal, arguing that the trial should have separated the charges. His counsel, Michael Bowman SC, contended that two of the counts were only linked by occurring in a car, one involving touching a girl's genital area and the other involving self‑touch and inserting fingers into a girl's mouth. Bowman also challenged the prosecution's claim that Leigh knew his actions were "gravely wrong", noting no evidence of deliberate creation of an environment or isolation of the girls. Mr Justice John Edwards instructed the court to reserve judgment on the appeal. The case remains at the appeal stage. The unnamed 41-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Child sex offender argues trial was unfair. Charges or matters: sexual assaults that occurred on dates between March 1996 and June 2005 but was convicted on a number of counts by a jury at the Central Criminal Court on December 18, 2023. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- March 1996 Incident
- June 2005 Incident
- December 18, 2023 Incident
- 2025-07-28 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: sexual assaults that occurred on dates between March 1996 and June 2005 but was convicted on a number of counts by a jury at the Central Criminal Court on December 18, 2023 (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; by Ryan Dunne A 41-year-old man jailed for historic sexual assaults on three girls has argued before the Court of Appeal that all the charges against him should not have been dealt with in the same trial. He was sentenced to four years in prison by Mr Justice David Keane.
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