Sentence lengths can range from 14 days to five months in an assault case. Judges need guidelines, writes

A Cork pensioner who raped and sexually abused his step-daughter from when she was 11 years of age, resulting in her giving birth to two of his children, has been jailed for 12 years writes Nicola Donnelly.

The brother of a young mother, murdered alongside her children, has called for newly announced tougher sentencing and bail laws for burglars to also be applied for more violent crimes.