Rape survivor says 22-month wait on sentence appeal puts 'question mark' over justice

On behalf of the DPP, Anne-Marie Lawlor pointed out that the guilty plea had only been entered on the date of the trial — with the victim in the court building waiting to give her evidence

Ciara Mangan: 'I was left to choke on my own vomit that night and am lucky to still be alive.' File Picture: Michael Donnelly

A 30-year-old woman who was subjected to “a predatory, violent rape” by a young man at a party when she was just 18 has said that her “healing is going to begin now” after her attacker was refused an appeal against a seven-year sentence.

“Two years ago, I thought that I got my justice and the justice system put a question mark over that for the last 22 months. Today, I got justice,” said Ciara Mangan on the steps of the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday, after the Court of Appeal ruled that the seven-year sentence was appropriate for Shane Noonan, aged 30, who raped Ms Mangan almost 12 years ago.