Rape victim calls on DPP to appeal suspended sentence

A rape victim whose attacker was given a suspended sentence in the Central Criminal Court in Dublin this week says she is "absolutely devastated" by the outcome and is calling on the Director of Public Prosecutions to appeal the sentence.

Adam Keane (20), a bricklayer from Barnageeha, Daragh, Co Clare, was convicted in February by a 10 to two majority of raping the woman, who is now 33, in a house in a Co Clare town on May 30th, 2005.

He received a three-year suspended sentence from Mr Justice Paul Carney last Monday.

Mr Justice Carney noted that Keane had said the rape was out of character for him and that he came from a respectable home.

Mary Shannon from Daragh, who has waived her right to anonymity, said the sentence was "absolutely disgraceful" and she had lost all faith in the justice system.

"I really believed yesterday that justice was going to be done and it was only a matter of how many years in jail he was going to getm but that's not what happened yesterday at all.

"Justice Carney passed down a three-year suspended sentence on Adam Keane and I'm absolutely devastated and I feel so let down by the whole justice system."

On RTÉ yesterday Ms Shannon said the court case had been the most difficult thing she had gone through and she felt her life had been "torn asunder" for nothing.

"I was the victim yet I was made feel like the criminal.

"I had to go to Dublin and stand in the stand and prove that Adam did rape me but he did not have to do anything and he walked a free man from court yesterday."

On the same day as Keane was sentenced, Mr Justice Carney jailed another man for 15 years for raping a 75-year-old woman.

Ms Shannon said she could not understand why her attacker was not also given a custodial sentence.

"Words just can't describe how Justice Carney can justify one man receiving 15 years, you know, and somebody else coming before him . . . giving him a suspended sentence."

The trauma of the experience had been worsened by having to travel to Dublin on the same train as Keane and the knowledge that she is likely to see him in the future.

"I met Adam Keane yesterday morning on the train going to Dublin to the Four Courts - he was in the carriage next to me.

"After he walked free from court yesterday he was also on the train coming back home to Ennis

"There's no restrictions on him not to come near me .... the judge did not impose anything like that."

The daughter of the 75-year- old rape victim in the other case, who had been in the courtroom at the time, said she had deep sympathy for Ms Shannon.

"To see the rapist get off with a suspended sentence, I'm gutted for her really, I feel so sorry for her, it must be very traumatic."

The office of the DPP said yesterday that it did not comment on individual cases.