‘If I had the option, I would impose a life sentence, not so much to punish the accused, but rather to protect society’

Judge Keenan Johnson described a psychological report on a man he jailed for the false imprisonment of a young girl as “disturbing”.

Michael Martin, aged 36, a father of two originally from Dublin and now with an address at Shandon Court, Yellow Rd, Waterford City, admitted to the false imprisonment of an 11-year-old girl at Cullohill in Co Laois on March 4.