Judges should be given sentencing guidelines and “appropriate education” in relation to rape cases, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said today.
The organisation was commenting on a case in which a man had three years of a five-year sentence for rape suspended.
Billy Keogh (46), from Kilmeaden, Co Waterford, was found guilty in February of raping a Croatian woman. Mr Justice Barry White yesterday sentenced him to five years in jail but suspended the final three.
The DRCC, one of the State’s busiest rape and sexual assault counselling services, said the case further highlighted the need for guidelines in sentencing in these cases and for education for judges.
DRCC chief executive Ellen O'Malley-Dunlop said the judge’s decision “does not give out a good message to victims of rape and sexual assault to come forward and report these crimes”.
She noted that just one in 10 people who are victims of rape and sexual assault come forward to report it.
“This woman has shown enormous courage,” she said.
Ms O’Malley Dunlop said the victim had “thankfully” received justice from the jury in the case, but questioned whether she had received it from the judge.
She said the judge’s remarks about Keogh and how he was a “man of good character” left a lot to be desired, especially in circumstances where the woman had been forced to endure a full court hearing because Keogh denied the charges.
“We need to seriously tackle the way in which our judges manage cases such as these. In other jurisdictions education is provided for judges. Prior to taking up a position at the bench and while they are sitting, on-going appropriate education ought to be provided for all judges as well as sentencing guidelines,” she said.