Lack of rape sentencing guidelines ‘astonishing’
A JUDGE has described the lack of sentencing guidelines in rape cases in this country as “somewhat bizarre”.
Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh made her comments during the sentencing of a man convicted for the repeated rape of his granddaughter.
She imposed a five-year prison sentence on Christopher Redmond (74) after noting he has a profound cognitive impairment that is slowly worsening.
Redmond, of Rathvilly Drive, Finglas, Dublin, was convicted by a jury at the Central Criminal Court of four counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault of Leanne Murphy on dates between January 2002 and May 2004.
The attacks all took place at the Tolka Valley pitch and putt club on Ballyboggan Road, Finglas, where Redmond worked.
The victim, now aged 23, was between seven and nine at the time and waived her right to anonymity so her abuser could be named. She went to gardaí in 2012. Redmond denied all the charges but was convicted after a trial last February.
Ms Justice Ní Raifeartaigh said the Supreme Court has said that rape offending should be punished with an immediate and substantial custodial sentence but that there was no information about sentencing in past cases. She noted “this may seem astonishing”.
“One judge’s substantial could be four years and another’s could be 14 years. It’s somewhat bizarre that an area that is so sensitive has so little in the way of guidance for a trial judge,” she said.