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# Life Sentence
Groups say 'justice was delivered' in Athlone rape case ruling
The Rape Crisis Centre say that the children received support ‘immediately’ and so ‘recovery is now possible’.
GROUPS HAVE WELCOMED a ruling this afternoon that saw a man receive two life sentences for the rape of two children.
The accused, a 30-year-old unemployed man, had pleaded guilty to five charges of raping the two girls, just three days after being released from prison.
The Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) stressed that ‘recovery’ is now possible for the two children involved in case.
“Recovery”
“Many people will ask ‘how will these children cope’– it is important to know that recovery is possible,” Executive Director Fiona Neary said in a statement.
She noted that the children involved were helped immediately, and given specialist support.
“Today, justice was delivered, and the girls know that nothing was their fault.”
Neary added that a life sentence was appropriate in the “most serious incidents of sexual violence”
“Young offender”
“With a life sentence the state can now monitor and supervise this relatively young offender for the rest of his life, should parole be agreed in the future,” she noted.
The ISPCC believes that this cases highlights the need for ‘sentencing guidelines’.
Instead of the discretion of a judge being taken into account when sentencing such crimes, “a clear pathway that Judges can utilise in determining an appropriate sentence” would be available.
“When it comes to the protection and safeguarding of children from abuse, the child must be at the centre,” she said.
This also applies to the treatment, handling and sentencing of the perpetrators of abuse, to ensure that the safety of all children is considered and the message of complete intolerance to child abuse is reinforced.
Read: Man given two life sentences for rape of two children in Athlone >
Father of victim: ‘We have all been touched by evil’ >
