Seamus Marley fails in bid to appeal rape convictions

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

Seamus Marley’s second application for more time to appeal his rape and sexual assault convictions was dismissed by a three-judge court, reported on 3 November 2022.

The court heard that Marley had pleaded not guilty before a jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on six sexual assault and two rape counts.

In May 2019, the Central Criminal Court sentenced Marley to seven years’ imprisonment. Mr Justice Paul McDermott imposed the sentence, while Mr Justice George Birmingham dismissed the later appeal-time application after finding no evidential basis for Marley’s submissions.

The Court of Appeal had ruled in July 2020 that Marley’s appeal was filed outside the required 28-day period.