2022-01-28
10-year sentence for repeated abuse is upheld
Stage: Appeal
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty; At an earlier hearing, the Court of Appeal was told by Hugh Hartnett SC, for Patton, that the custodial term imposed by Judge Greally had been "excessive and disproportionate". "The sentences should not have been consecutive and the sentencing judge failed to take into account aspects of rehabilitation," Mr Hartnett added. Redemption is something that should be taken into consideration." Mr Cooney, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, told the court that if a higher sentence of 11 or 12 years had been imposed "that would still have come within the discretion of the judge given the appellant's culpability and the seriousness of the offending". "The sentence was imposed as a result of particular egregious offending and the judge was entitled to impose the sentence she did," counsel.