TV appeal dismissed over rape convictions

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

The Court of Appeal dismissed TV’s appeal against his rape convictions on 22 June 2017. Mr Justice Mahon delivered the judgment.

A Central Criminal Court jury had convicted him of 25 sexual offences: 18 counts of rape and seven counts of rape under section 4 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990. The offences occurred between 2008 and 2012, when the complainant, his daughter, was aged between seven and 11.

Concurrent 15-year sentences were imposed on each count, dating from 18 June 2015. TV also appealed his sentence, but the judgment dealt solely with his conviction appeal.

His conviction appeal challenged the admission of three specialist interviews with the complainant and the introduction during those interviews of disclosures made at clarification meetings. He also argued that difficulty cross-examining her about incidents she could not recall had created an impediment to a fair trial.

The Court of Appeal found no fault with the trial judge’s decision to admit the interviews, noting that the judge had viewed them. It said the complainant had been robustly cross-examined and the jury had been directed to exercise caution when assessing the evidence.