Other child rape stories this week: Liam Adams appeals extradition order to the Supreme Court. The brother of Sinn Fein President, Gerry Adams has appealed a decision of the High Court to extradite him to the north for raping his daughter Aine when she was 4 years old.
A Scottish van driver accused of murdering a Co Antrim schoolgirl has been unmasked as a triple child killer at his trial. Paedophile Robert Black’s criminal past was revealed to the jury in Armagh Crown Court. Black, now 64, is accused of kidnapping and murdering nine-year-old Jennifer Cardy in Northern Ireland 30 years ago.
A life sentence handed down to convicted armed robber Christy Griffin for raping and sexually abusing a young girl has been overturned on appeal.
The 41-year-old of Ridgewood Green, Swords in Dublin will now serve 15 years having been convicted on two counts of rape and nine counts of indecent assault on dates between 1993 and 2001.
Christopher Griffin's lawyers argued Mr Justice Paul Carney had erred “very substantially” in handing down the maximum life penalty.
And the Court of Criminal Appeal has effectively agreed and found, while the offences were extremely serious, they were not so exceptional as to warrant the imposition of a life sentence.
It has found Judge Carney seems to have paid too much regard to Christy Griffin's 18 previous convictions which he described as "horrendous".
While some involved firearms and two were for aggravated burglary and robbery the court has found the majority were committed while Griffin was a juvenile and a number are road traffic offences.
Christy Griffin's victim was aged eight and 16 when he abused her and the court has found a very severe sentence of 15 years is warranted given her youth and the severe trauma she endured.
A Scottish van driver accused of murdering a Co Antrim schoolgirl has been unmasked as a triple child killer at his trial. Paedophile Robert Black’s criminal past was revealed to the jury in Armagh Crown Court. Black, now 64, is accused of kidnapping and murdering nine-year-old Jennifer Cardy in Northern Ireland 30 years ago.
A life sentence handed down to convicted armed robber Christy Griffin for raping and sexually abusing a young girl has been overturned on appeal.
The 41-year-old of Ridgewood Green, Swords in Dublin will now serve 15 years having been convicted on two counts of rape and nine counts of indecent assault on dates between 1993 and 2001.
Christopher Griffin's lawyers argued Mr Justice Paul Carney had erred “very substantially” in handing down the maximum life penalty.
And the Court of Criminal Appeal has effectively agreed and found, while the offences were extremely serious, they were not so exceptional as to warrant the imposition of a life sentence.
It has found Judge Carney seems to have paid too much regard to Christy Griffin's 18 previous convictions which he described as "horrendous".
While some involved firearms and two were for aggravated burglary and robbery the court has found the majority were committed while Griffin was a juvenile and a number are road traffic offences.
Christy Griffin's victim was aged eight and 16 when he abused her and the court has found a very severe sentence of 15 years is warranted given her youth and the severe trauma she endured.
