THE CENTRAL Criminal Court saw a drop in new cases coming before the court last year, and a dramatic decrease in rape cases, according to figures compiled by its registrar, Liam Convey, which have been made available to The Irish Times.
There were 103 new cases filed in the court in 2009, compared with 136 in 2008, a drop of about 25 per cent.
These included 48 rape and rape-related offences, down from 78 the previous year, and 53 murder and murder-related cases, up two from 51 in 2008. The new rape cases filed in 2009 showed a 63 per cent reduction on the 1998 and 1999 figures of 130 each year, which were at an all-time high.
The waiting time from when a case is filed until it is heard averages 10 to 11 months, meaning that cases returned for trial at the end of last year will be heard in the legal term beginning next October. There were 145 cases awaiting trial at the end of 2009, a drop of 40 on the number awaiting trial at the end of 2008.
Forty-two of the 53 murder cases ended in conviction of murder, manslaughter, attempted murder or aiding and abetting in murder or manslaughter. The 17 murder convictions carried an automatic life sentence, and two of the manslaughter convictions resulted in life sentences, while sentences for the lesser offences varied between less than one to over 15 years, with most sentences falling between five and 10 years’ imprisonment.
Of the 13 people not convicted,there was just one outright acquittal by a jury. The trial was quashed in one case, and the DPP entered a nolle prosequi in two. The jury was discharged and a new trial ordered in one case, they disagreed in three more and there were three cases where the accused was judged insane and committed to the Central Mental Hospital. Two of the accused died before the case came to trial.
The average time taken by murder and murder-related trials was 10½ days, with one trial lasting 32 days.
Of the 48 rape cases and one aggravated sexual assault case heard, 18 did not go to trial because the accused pleaded guilty. There were three nolle prosequis, one was quashed and the accused died in another, leaving 25 trials. There were 11 outright acquittals at trial and 10 convictions of rape or attempted rape. One person was convicted of sexual assault, two of the accused were found unfit to plead, and in one the DPP entered a nolle prosequi before the verdict.
Sentences ranged from under a year to life (three people received life sentences) and one person was committed to the Central Mental Hospital. Most sentences (17 of the 29 convictions) fell in the range of five to 15 years. Where the sentence was under a year, it normally meant time already served awaiting trial was taken into account.