Sentence for having sex with girls halved on appeal

A man jailed for having sex with three underage girls, who he contacted online having pretended to be a teenage boy, has had his jail term halved on appeal.

Jerry Sheahan, aged 40, of Clare Hall Village, Malahide Rd, Dublin, had pleaded guilty to three counts of having sexual intercourse with three underage girls in different counties between March and July 2011. Sheahan was 36 at the time and the girls were aged between 15 and 17.

He was given three consecutive two-year sentences by Judge Michael O’Shea on November 15, 2011.

Sheahan successfully appealed his sentence yesterday. The Court of Appeal resentenced him to three years’ imprisonment on each count to run concurrently.

The three-judge court heard Sheahan had set up a profile on the under-18 section of Tagged.com using a photo of a teenage boy. He made contact with the girls and they arranged to meet.

In each case, he had a car and took the girls to isolated locations where sexual intercourse occurred, the court heard.

Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, defending, said Sheahan had told two of the girls he was in his 30s before meeting them.

Ms Ní Raifeartaigh submitted that the total sentence of six years’ imprisonment imposed on Sheahan was excessively severe having regard to his guilty plea, co-operation, his lack of previous convictions, and attempts he made to deal with his offending behaviour.

Mr Justice Edwards said it would have been more helpful if the sentencing judge indicated where on the scale of seriousness he located the offence.

Mr Justice Edwards said the sentencing judge was inappropriately influenced by a desire not to be seen “to do an injustice” to any individual girl by suspending part of a sentence imposed in respect of her.