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'Predatory' sex offender's nine-year prison term too lenient, State argues
Summary
The State is seeking a review of David O'Sullivan's sentence after he groomed and raped two girls contacted through Snapchat and was found with 1,629 child abuse files. The Director of Public Prosecutions argued in the Court of Appeal that the sentence did not reflect the grave offending, and the court reserved judgment until next Tuesday. David O'Sullivan pleaded guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Predatory' sex offender's nine-year prison term too lenient, State argues. Charges or matters: communication with a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation between June 2022 and February 2023; four counts of rape and one of oral rape of the second child on dates between August and November 2024; communicating with the second child between August 2024 and March 2025 for the purpose of sexually exploiting her; production of child abuse material in relation to asking the victim to send him a video of herself. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- February 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
- June 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- November 2024 Other
- August 2024 Other
- March 2025 Other
- 2026-03-20 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: communication with a child for the purpose of sexual exploitation between June 2022 and February 2023; four counts of rape and one of oral rape of the second child on dates between August and November 2024; communicating with the second child between August 2024 and March 2025 for the purpose of sexually exploiting her; production of child abuse material in relation to asking the victim to send him a video of herself (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: David O'Sullivan's offending was at "such an extreme end" of this type of case that the ultimate sentence imposed had been "incapable of reflecting the gravity" of the crimes. Edit these two paragraphs into one and remove repetition: Seeking a review of the original sentence imposed on O'Sullivan on the grounds that it was unduly lenient, John Berry SC, for the DPP, told the Court of Appeal today that the sentence imposed on O'Sullivan for rape, which involved the manipulation through digital media of "young, vulnerable victims", had to be met by a jail term that was greater than the one handed down.
Places mentioned
- St Vincents Avenue
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
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