Richard O’Mara’s rape sentence appeal was reserved

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Richard O’Mara’s appeal against his sentence for raping a teenage schoolgirl twice was heard by the Court of Appeal on 25 January 2022; judgment was reserved.

O’Mara had been convicted of two counts of rape by a Central Criminal Court jury after a trial in April 2019, and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment with the final two years suspended. The attacks took place at a birthday party in Ballymulcashel, Kilmurry, Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, on 18 October 2015.

His appeal challenged the length of the sentence, which his counsel described as very severe. The State argued there had been no sentencing error.