An ex-RUC officer who assaulted a Dublin prostitute causing her serious harm has been jailed for three years.
Trevor Scobie (39), of Somerset Range, Coleraine, Co Derry, was convicted by a jury on February 14th of assault causing harm to the woman on November 27th, 1999, at Wolfe Tone Quays, Dublin.
Miss Justice Mella Carroll at the Central Criminal Court said "nothing excuses this assault" on a vulnerable member of society and said the offence merited a custodial sentence.
She noted that the victim was suffering from severe post-traumatic stress and had tried to take her own life several times since.
Miss Justice Carroll said although €5,000 has been offered as compensation to the victim, it would not be made possible for Scobie to "buy his way out of prison" and said she hoped he would give the victim the said money despite the custodial sentence.
Scobie's counsel, Mr Gerard Clarke SC, had told Miss Justice Carroll that in addition to the €5,000 immediately available to be handed over to the court, a further €5,000 would be paid "relatively soon".
Mr Clarke said the money was a genuine expression of Scobie's remorse and was not related to any prison sentence he might receive.
The victim, who has now given up prostitution and is on a methadone programme to treat a chronic heroin addiction, told the jury during the five-day trial in February that she worked then as a prostitute to feed her habit.
When Scobie, a truck driver at the time, had asked her for "business2 she had agreed. She said Scobie flew into a rage and hit her on the face and body. He also bit her and scratched her breasts as well as thighs.