A man described as a “Walter Mitty” character has launched an appeal against the severity of his jail sentence for concocting allegations he was sexually assaulted by X Factor judge Louis Walsh.
Leonard Watters, a father of two from Woodview, Navan, Co Meath, was given a six-month term in January at Dublin District Court but was released within minutes after he lodged papers to appeal the sentence.
The former dance teacher had pleaded guilty, and the appeal is only against the severity of the sentence.
His appeal came before Judge Katherine Delahunt at the Circuit Court in Dublin yesterday, but Watters was not present. His counsel, Enda O’Neill, told the appeal court judge Watters was “out of the country, he is on a religious pilgrimage”.