Bail application by convicted rapist withdrawn

A Corkman jailed for 13 years after he was found guilty of raping two teenage sisters of his former girlfriend has withdrawn his application to be released on bail.

Today, the three-judge Court of Criminal Appeal consisting of Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, sitting with Mr Justice Declan Budd and Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne, were informed by counsel for Trevor Casey, Tim O'Leary SC, that the application for bail pending the determination of his client's appeal was being withdrawn.

Last February Casey (aged 31), Closes Road, Fairhill was convicted by a jury on eight charges involving four counts of rape and four counts of sexual assault on the girls then aged 14 and 16 on dates in 2003 and 2004 at three Cork addresses.

Casey was subsequently sentenced to a total of 13 years in prison by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy at the Central Criminal Court.

The case attracted national headlines when it emerged that Labour Party TD Mrs Kathleen Lynch sent a letter to Mr Justice McCarthy, indicating that Casey came from a good family with integrity.

One of the victims criticised Ms Lynch, saying she felt hurt by Ms Lynch's involvement in the case and that she should be ashamed of herself for supporting "a convicted rapist". Deputy Lynch later apologised.

After his conviction his victims and their family said they wanted Casey named in media reports of the case. Both young women gave evidence that he raped them after they awoke to find him in their beds.

Casey, who maintains his innocence, is to appeal the conviction imposed on him.

He had been due to make an application for bail, which the CCA can grant only in exceptional circumstances when it holds that an application has a strong chance of success, until his appeal is determined.

The application for bail was originally scheduled to be heard last week, but was adjourned until today, when Mr O'Leary told the court that the application was no longer going ahead. A date for the hearing of the appeal has yet to be fixed.