In short [IrishTimes]
- Published: 15 March 2011
A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Priest's appeal against sentence for abuse nearly 30 years ago fails
An elderly priest has failed in his appeal against his three-year sentence for sexually abusing an altar boy in his Wicklow parish nearly 30 years ago. The Court of Criminal Appeal found yesterday that the approach taken by Judge Michael O’Shea in sentencing Fr Thomas Naughton (79) was “impeccable” and that he had committed no error in principle in reaching his conclusions.
Mr Justice Liam McKechnie, sitting with Mr Justice Declan Budd and Mr Justice Daniel O’Keeffe, said Naughton had been in a position of trust and authority but had abused both and had inflicted a 30-year “sentence of vulnerability” on his victim.
Orla Crowe, defending, said the sentencing judge did not give due regard to Naughton’s efforts at rehabilitation, his considerable health difficulties and the remorse he had shown.
Schoolgirl rescued from lake walk
A 16-year-old schoolgirl who was injured in a fall on the Spink walk high over the main lake in Glendalough, Co Wicklow, yesterday was airlifted to hospital by the Irish Coast Guard.
The Dublin-based Sikorsky helicopter was tasked at 12.30pm when the alert was raised by a group from a school in Co Meath.
The schoolgirl sustained an open wound to her lower leg after falling and required emergency treatment. She was winched with a teacher on to the helicopter and flown to Dublin airport, where she was transferred by HSE ambulance to Beaumont Hospital.
Man jailed for rape and sexual assault
A man has been sentenced to six years and two months at the Central Criminal Court for rape in a Dublin apartment almost two years ago.
John Noghayin (29), Cabra Park, Dublin, who is from Nigeria, was convicted by a jury last month of raping and sexually assaulting a woman in May 2009. He had pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
