Rapist father’s ‘lenient’ sentence to be appealed

The new Court of Appeal will hear an application from prosecutors that the sentence handed down to the father of well-known abuse victim Fiona Doyle was unduly lenient.

Patrick O’Brien, aged 74, had pleaded guilty to 16 charges of rape and indecent assault at Mackintosh Park, Pottery Rd, Dun Laoghaire, from 1973 to 1982.

Trial judge Mr Justice Paul Carney had described it as one of the worst cases of abuse one could possibly find. Mr Justice Carney, taking into account O’Brien’s health problems, sentenced him to 12 years in prison, suspended the final nine and granted him bail pending an appeal.