Former Seminarian has jail term increased for repeated rape of young cousin

A former seminarian's prison sentence has been increased by two years following a Court of Appeal ruling that his original five-year term was unduly lenient. Aidan Gallagher, aged 41, of Dadreen, Killadoon, Westport, County Mayo, was convicted by jury in May 2023 of six counts of oral rape of his cousin on dates between 1998 and 2003. The Central Criminal Court jury sat in Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim. Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy found that the sentencing judge had erred by treating all offences as committed while Gallagher was a minor, despite one occurring when he was 19 years old. The court imposed a revised sentence of seven years on each count, running concurrently. Gallagher had denied the allegations across two trials. The victim waived anonymity to allow her cousin's naming in reporting. Gallagher, who was due for ordination, has no previous convictions.