IN a move to increase efficiency in the court system, two rape trials commenced at the Central Criminal Court yesterday, three weeks before the start of the new law term.
Earlier this year, the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, announced the early resumption of the court in an attempt to cut the backlog of over 60 rape and murder cases awaiting hearing.
The court aims to deal with between 13 and 18 of the shorter three day rape cases during this extra sitting to leave the Michaelmas Law Term, October 7th to December 21st, free for the longer rape and murder trials.
The measure forms part of an anti crime package drawn up by the Minister following the public outcry at the murders of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe in Limerick and journalist Veronica Guerin.
The backlog of cases in the Central Criminal Court has increased as trial dates could not be found for the majority of cases before the court. Since the enactment of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990, rape cases are no longer tried in the circuit courts. The law now requires that rape cases, like murder cases, are transferred from District Court level to the Central Criminal Court in Dublin's Four Courts.
A panel of 600 jurors attended in Court No. 2 yesterday where four rape cases were listed for trial. Guilty pleas were entered in two of the cases and sentence in both of these cases was adjourned.
Juries were then sworn for the two remaining trials, which are being presided over by Mr Justice Moriarty and Mr Justice Shanley.
Evidence was also heard by Mr Justice Carney in two further sex assault cases in which guilty pleas had already been entered.