Appeal court finds life sentence 'safe' for Dublin rapist

A Dublin man appealing against his conviction and life sentence for the rape of his then partner's teenage daughter was found guilty after he received a fair trial, the Court of Criminal Appeal heard yesterday.

Today arguing that the conviction is safe, Counsel for the DPP Ms Deirdre Murphy SC told the CCA that a jury unanimously found 38-year-old Christopher Griffin, who was described as a life-long criminal, guilty of the offence "based on the evidence they heard in the court".

Griffin, Ridgewood Green, Swords, Dublin, formerly of Canon Lillis Avenue, in Dublin's north inner city, is appealing against his conviction of one count of oral rape of the girl (then in her teens) in 1998, one count of rape in 2001 and nine counts of indecently assault on dates from 1993 to 1998.

Griffin had denied all charges. At the Central Criminal Court in April 2007, he was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Carney. The girl, now in her early twenties, consented to Griffin's name being used by the media.

The three judge CCA, with Ms Justice Fidelma Macken presiding and sitting with Mr Justice Eamonn De Valera and Mr Justice Paul Gilligan, reserved judgment in the case. The Court will give it decision after the new legal term commences in October.