Appeal sees sentence reduced because of judge's comments

The Court of Criminal Appeal has reduced the prison sentence imposed on a Dublin man who kidnapped and raped a Spanish au pair after it ruling that comments made at the his sentencing hearing by Mr Justice Paul Carney were "inappropriate"and "indefensible."

In February 2006, David Mullen (aged 30), from Knockmore Crescent, Tallaght and Tymon Hall Park, Kingswood, appealed the severity of the 15-year sentence he received after he admitted false imprisonment of the then 23-year-old victim, rape, oral rape, attempted rape, sexual assault,