McDowell insists offenders will not walk free

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell last night refused to accept all other offenders found guilty of statutory rape would walk free from prison following yesterday’s High Court judgment.

Up to yesterday, there were seven people serving sentences after being convicted solely on Section 1(1) of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1935, which made it an offence for a man to have sex with a girl aged under 15.

That was reduced to six yesterday afternoon when the High Court — responding to last week’s Supreme Court decision striking down Section 1(1) — ordered the immediate release of Mr A, who had been serving a three-year sentence for the unlawful carnal knowledge of a 12-year-old girl.