AN unemployed Kerry factory worker has been jailed for sevens years for raping a neighbour who gave him a lift home three years ago.
Liam Sheehy (28), of Duagh, Listowel, was convicted on December 13th, after a five day trial before Mr Justice Morris at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.
Mr Justice Morris accepted that neither Sheehy nor his family had any connection with what he called "disgraceful conduct by misguided persons" around Duagh in a campaign against the rape victim and her family. Nor did he blame Sheehy for that activity.
Earlier Mr Patrick Gageby SC (with Mr Martin Collins), defending, said the Sheehys dissociated themselves from the campaign. He said also that civil proceedings by the woman against Sheehy had been settled for a small amount of money.
The judge said that while he accepted the good character evidence given on Sheehy's behalf, and that his family were thoroughly decent people, he had not publicly expressed remorse or apology.
"A jury of your peers found you told a tissue of lies in your claim that this lady was the instigator of it and in your attempt to blame her for it " Mr Justice Morris told, Sheehy.
Mr Justice Morris said he had to exercise his duty on behalf of society and impose a seven year sentence of penal servitude. He directed that Sheehy be given credit for the time he had spent in custody since his conviction so that the actual sentence would be one of six years and eight months.
A clinical psychiatrist, Dr Brendan Lynch, told the court Sheehy underwent a character change as a result of a car accident in which he fractured his skull.
He developed alcohol dependency which affected his social skills. Sheehy was dealing with his alcohol problem after being admitted 10 times to hospital for it.
Character evidence was also given on Sheehy's behalf by Father James Linnane, former parish priest in Duagh a retired community college principal, Mr Patsy O'Sullivan a Munster Electronics supervisor, Mr Michael O'Sullivan; and a veterinary surgeon, Mr Liam Dennehy.
Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC (with Ms Miriam Malone), prosecuting, said the victim had no wish to give evidence on her own behalf.