Stephen Kane given suspended sentence for sexual assault

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

Stephen Kane received concurrent sentences of two years and two-and-a-half years for sexual assault and two assaults causing harm at the Central Criminal Court, reported on 6 March 2020. The offences occurred during an August 2014 incident at a Dublin apartment block. Kane pleaded guilty after sexually assaulting one woman and assaulting her and her friend. The court backdated the sentences to November 2018 and suspended the remaining sentence for two years, subject to counselling and addressing the causes of his offending.

The court heard that Kane left Ireland after being released pending charge and was later arrested in Australia for extradition. Mr Justice Paul McDermott said the assaults were a shocking and unexpected explosion of violence, while accepting Kane’s remorse and a €10,000 payment as mitigating factors.