This article is from page 4 of the 2007-03-27 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
AN APPEAL by the Director of Pub- lic Prosecutions against the sentence imposed on Ennis man Adam Keane, who has been convicted of rape, will be mentioned in court for the first WUSSLoM MON RMaslOomOnDaTe
The DPP lodged an appeal against the “undue leniency” of the sentence, to the Court of Criminal Appeal last
Friday. The appeal is unlikely to be heard for some time, but will be men- tioned in court today, just 15 days af- ter a three-year suspended term was handed down to Keane (20), of Bar- nageeha, Darragh, Ennis.
He was found guilty by a 10-2 jury majority of raping Mary Shannon (33), on the fifth day of his trial at the Central Criminal Court, last month.
The jury of three women and nine
men reached its decision after more than five hours of deliberations.
In imposing sentence, the trial judge, Mr Justice Paul Carney, said his decision was based on a previous ruling by the Court of Criminal Ap- peal. This ruling related to a sentence imposed by him in a similar case.
Mr Justice Carney said that the ap- peal was lost and the sentencing was set aside in its entirety.
“Having regard to the approach taken by the CCA to this type of of- fence in this type of case, I have to ask myself whether I would be com- fortable to imprison this young man who said it was out of character for him, but that if the DNA said he had done it, he wouldn’t shy away from his responsibility,’ he said.
Mary Shannon, who waived her right to anonymity in the wake of the sentence, was thrilled on hearing of the DPP’s decision.
She and her family held a protest, vigil and public meeting with politi- cians, in an effort to fight for justice for rape victims.
At a meeting with politicians last Thursday, her sister Sarah urged peo- ple to sign a petition calling for the law on rape sentences to be changed.
More than 5,000 people have signed the petition, which will be sent to the Minister for Justice, Michael Mc- Dowell.
Addressing a crowd of up to 50 family relatives and local politicians, Mary Shannon said, “I just feel that last week there was loads in the me- dia. This week it has come to a com- plete standstill.”
Councillor Brian Meaney (GP) told her, on advice from a legal friend, that it wouldn’t be worth her while to take a civil case against Mr Keane. She said, “This isn’t about money.”