A man who made three young girls take Polaroid pictures of themselves as he sexually abused them has failed in a bid to appeal his conviction and life sentence to the Supreme Court on grounds his case involved a legal point of public importance.
John Adams (67), with an address at Dunvale, Ballymena, Co Antrim pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court in 2003 to four counts of unlawful carnal nowledge and two counts of sexual abuse of the girls between 1991 and 1993 in a Co Louth town.
Mr Justice Paul Carney imposed four life sentences on Adams.
In December 2004, the Court of Criminal Appeal (CCA) rejected Adams's appeal against conviction and sentence.
Adams today asked the appeal court to refer his case for appeal to the Supreme Court on a point of law arising form the fact a life sentence could be imposed even with a guilty plea.
Moving the application, John Peart SC argued there was no incentive for someone accused of the most serious offences to plead guilty if they know that they are going to be given a life sentence no matter what.
Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions, Patrick Gageby SC, submitted no point of law had been raised which was of such importance it required determination by the Supreme Court.
The three judge CCA, with Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns presiding and sitting with Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill and Mr Justice Henry Abbott, refused the application.
Mr Justice Kearns said the court was satisfied that no new point of law had been forwarded by Adams. He said a recent decision of the Supreme Court stated that, in exceptional circumstances, maximum sentences may be imposed on individuals who plead guilty to offences. The court was satisfied that this was such a case.