Courts / Westmeath / Report
'Odious' paedophile loses sentence appeal
Summary
Oliver Berry, aged 68, failed to reduce his seven‑year sentence on appeal for indecent assault of his daughter Sharon between 1980 and 1986. He had pleaded not guilty to 25 counts but was convicted in June 2023 and sentenced by Ms Justice Patricia Ryan on 25 July 2023 to run consecutively to a prison term he was already serving for the sexual abuse of his other daughter, Jennifer. The court found Berry abused Sharon up to three times a week, subjected her to physical violence, and she ran away at age 12. Berry had previously been jailed for ten years in 2018 for 104 counts of rape and sexual assault of Jennifer, aged 7 to 19, between 1982 and 1994; that sentence was increased by three years after a State appeal. Berry maintained his innocence, and his mother, who has since separated, gave evidence in his defence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Odious' paedophile loses sentence appeal. Charges or matters: 25 counts of indecent assault relating to Sharon Berry between 1980 and 1986 but was convicted following a trial in June 2023. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- June 2023 Incident
- July 25, 2023 Incident
- December 1982 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 1994 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 2028 Other
- 1980 and 1986 Incident
- 2025-11-07 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: 25 counts of indecent assault relating to Sharon Berry between 1980 and 1986 but was convicted following a trial in June 2023 (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; The 68-year-old was previously jailed for ten years in 2018 after a Central Criminal Court jury convicted him of 104 counts of both raping and sexually assaulting Jennifer between December 1982 and December 1994. He said the overall sentence imposed was "fully in line" with what would be within a sentencing court's discretion.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
Topics
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