Nice to see the Irish justice system working so well...

Victim condemns rape sentence

A rape victim who watched her attacker walk free from court with a suspended sentence today said she will never trust the justice system again.

The devastated woman, who said she felt on trial, was even forced to travel back to her home town on the same train as convicted rapist Adam Keane.

The 33-year-old had vowed to take her fight for justice and a tougher sentence to the Director of Public Prosecutions and Justice Minister Michael McDowell.

"I will never ever again trust the justice system to do right after a wrong has been committed," she said, slamming the sentence handed down to the 20-year-old bricklayer.

In February a jury convicted Keane, from Daragh, Co Clare, of raping the woman at her home on May 30th, 2005.

He had broken into her home and climbed into bed with her while her three children slept in the next room.

DNA evidence linked Keane to the scene, but following his arrest he told gardai he could not remember anything as he blacked out after drinking heavily and taking ecstasy in a nightclub.

Mr Justice Paul Carney handed down a three-year suspended sentence at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin yesterday. The sentence was based on a previous ruling by the Court of Criminal Appeal, he added.

The victim, who is deaf, said she could not hear his barrister's defence or the judge's comments, and did not know he was free to leave until her sister started crying and told her.

"I am devastated," the woman, whose name was given as Mary, told RTE's Liveline programme.

"I really didn't want it go to court in February in the first place. It was the hardest week of my life, to go up in that stand and give every detail of my life explored by the DPP and his barrister and when he was found guilty I was so relieved and I really believed justice would be done.

"But yesterday it wasn't, there was no justice done for me at all and now I'm back to square one where I was when I first got raped. I feel worse now."

Mary said that after the attack she and her children had to leave their home, where they had lived for nine years, and moved back in with her parents because she was afraid. The family have since moved home twice.

__________________
I knew that nothing stranger
had ever happened, that nothing
stranger could ever happen.

I want to know what the previous ruling from the criminal court of Appeal was that gave a suspended sentence to a convicted rapist. That is one of many signs of a system that needs restructuring.

Also, i would assume that a court must provide translation services whether it be language translation verbally or sign language. Not only was this poor woman violated physically in her home she was violated by the courts. They didnt even forbid her rapist from being in close range of her for christs sake. She had to ride the same train as him!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's horrible and disgusting!! How corrupt is that! Why should a person be forced to live by a legal system that allows for such injustice!??? Even if she were to take justice into her own hands which she should not do for the sake of her kids, she would likely be convicted. She should hire a male man to go to his house and rape him.

Ive been hearing this story all over the place. Apparently he was sneering and snickering at her on the train also. But I dont know whats true or not at this stage. I didnt know she was deaf until right now, radio reports failed to mention this detail.
Ecstacy and alcohol are no excuse for rape. I was shocked & dissapointed at the ruling, and how is it that when another young man who was convicted of raping a 75 year old woman in her own home got a life sentence? He had a criminal record, but it shouldnt have mattered, same punishment for the same crime.....

This is why you gotta love the leprechauns in our governement

The judge said he 'felt uncomfortable giving a man from a repsectable home a custodial sentence'. Apparently coming from a respectable home is like a get out of jail free card. Do we only put rapists from poor, rough families in jail now? Since when are jail sentences based on our reputation or our families reputation in the community?

It is so fucking ridiculous, that cunt never showed remorse, never gave evidence, his whole defence was 'I have blackouts when I drink and do drugs, I don't remember a thing.' He actually gets convicted by a jury and still gets to go free.

So not only did the victim have to relive her ordeal giving evidence, she then had to take the extremely difficult step of choosing to go public so she could get the sentence appealed on the grounds of its leniency. This country is still so fucking backward in its attitude towards rape and sexual assault it sickens me.

__________________
I knew that nothing stranger
had ever happened, that nothing
stranger could ever happen.

Our judicial system is a joke. Women that report rape/sexual assaults usually wait two years for their court date and if something happens to delay the court appearance it's put back another two years. Sentences rarely go over the three year mark and even if they get longer they usually serve only half.

__________________
I knew that nothing stranger
had ever happened, that nothing
stranger could ever happen.

Everyone knows Ireland's patriachial past. Judges are still probably born in the 1940s. with a value system that still reflects their time. I think things will get better but probably but not for some time yet.

im not very good when it comes to law, but is there any way you can get the case trialed in england instead? it sounds like something from the last century. poor woman. i mean, its not just about punishment, but some sort of rehabilitation as obviously he shows no remorse

The reason the justice system suspended the rapist sentence is because THEY are afraid the rapist may get raped in prison...