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A SUPPORT GROUP for victims of sexual crime has said that Ireland’s judicial system is not fit for dealing with offences of a sexual nature.
Mary Crilly of the Sexual Violence Centre in Cork told TheJournal.ie that although the country’s laws are implemented effectively, the overall adversarial system keeps conviction rates extremely low.
Her comments come following the sentencing of the former mayor of Cork John Murray yesterday.
The 83-year-old was jailed for 12 months after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in the 1990s.
Murray had pleaded not guilty to six charges but was found guilty on five counts following a four-day trial earlier this year.
Crilly said the victim, who her group has supported throughout the investigation and trial, welcomed the sentence but was surprised by it.
“It was unexpected in a way too,” she said. “She didn’t expect a custodial sentence. It was always about him being held accountable. It wasn’t about what he got, it was about being believed.”
The assaults took place between 1996 and 1998 when the victim was in her teens. However, she did not tell anybody about the attacks until years later.
“It was something she needed to do,” continued Crilly. “He is a big, tall man. He had a lot of power. He would have been intimidating and intrusive.
“It was like most cases. It is difficult to get evidence, difficult to be believed but she was able to explain it very well. There were other reasons she didn’t report. There were other people in the family who had died who she wouldn’t have exposed the truth to.”
The victim, who had to give evidence in court as Murray had pleaded his innocence, said she changed from an outgoing child to a withdrawn and angry teenager.
For the most serious charge, Murray was sentenced to four years in prison with the final three years were suspended on one count. On the other four, he was sentenced to two years, with the final year suspended.
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Nevermind these two! Watch out for Ron Paul the people president.
Ron Paul is a quack.
Why ‘s no one talkin about Dr Ron Paul.?
Because he is a senile, racist homophobe? It would be pretty much like putting my grandmother in charge of the worlds largest nuclear stockpile. While he can’t be accused of not practising what he preaches, this extreme post-Tea Party libertarianism (Gingrinch: poor 6 year olds should work) only benefits those who are already wealthy and safely at the top of society. The fear of ‘Big Government’ seems to have its root in Internet conspiracy theory fetishism. You Internet nerds best remember he is a nasty piece of work like the rest of them too.
But….I will admit there is a media blackout on him – it would be much better to have his opinions on foreign policy (especially that towards hyper belligerent Israel) aired more often amongst the American (far) right.
Chris…any evident’s to support what you say ?
Erm – it’s all in the news mate, it’s entirely self-evident to anyone who reads a broadsheet newspaper – please feel free to point out any specific point that requires clarification
Hay Chris…
” Erm – it’s all in the news mate, it’s entirely self-evident to anyone who reads a broadsheet newspaper – please feel free to point out any specific point that requires clarification”
You have no idea who wrong this statement is, it would almost be funny if it weren’t so wrong
This is a reason to vote Ron Paul
http://info.publicintelligence.net/USArmy-InternmentResettlement.pdf
Straight out of North Korea. Re-education camps for people who aren’t as brainwashed as you.
Oh so you wouldn’t like me to share an opinion so?
Clearly us brainwashed have taken all the grammar books too – I’ll bring enough dictionaries and thesauruses to the gulag for everyone then :) Can’t wait
That the news media that has blatantly censored Paul, fiddled with figures and has basically done everything in its power to mute his message?
I don’t think either the banks or military like Ron Paul, hence the media amnesia.
Ron Paul had the highest military donations. Mainstream media hate Ron Paul because he doesn’t fit their corporate agenda.
Ron Paul is a nut! You might like hearing what he has to say but what he is saying is ” everyone on their own” which is ok if you are strong and doing well but if you are old, young, jobless, poor, sick etc he will provide nothing for you! It will be a Darwinian world- survival of the fittest!
and if your any of those now who is looking after you ??
Go Obama
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