Calls for appeal of ‘outrageous’ sentence

THE Rape Crisis Network (RCNI) has said the one-year jail term imposed on a middle-aged man who videotaped himself having sex with a 15-year-old girl was “outrageous” and called for the sentence to be appealed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The organisation said it is “appalled at what this case and sentence tells us about our standards of child protection”.

RCNI director Fiona Neary said the State’s attitude to child protection, particularly for vulnerable teenagers, must be clear and unambiguous from legislation to sentencing. So far, she added, this message was not being communicated by judges or the Government.