I just wanted to look at the
over all picture in the Irish justice system in light of some recent cases.
Recent cases have seen perpetrators of attacks being let go with suspended
sentences, paying fines or partially both with the Lyons case being the most
famous one. In one instance there was a case of an alleged rape victim being
arrested for not testifying in court (this even made the headlines in the
Guardian).
Anthony Lyons was told to pay a €75k fine and then told he
was only serving six months of a six year sentence as he was at low risk of
offending. In November of this year gone by Eamon Harkin beat his girlfriend
badly and only refrained from it during the ninety minute beating so he could
have a glass of water. Harkin got 240 hours community service in lieu of a two
year suspended sentence.
The most shocking however comes from three cases
which were presided over by a judge Martin Nolan and all three cases IMO the
attacker gets a lenient sentence. The first involved a Graham Griffin was a 29
year old from Louth who attacked a 17 year old girl. Griffin told the gardai
that he was under some sort of "magnetic force" and blamed the hormones . He was
handed a suspended four year sentence. The second case involves a Thoms Finn who
attacked his neighbour while her deah elderly father was inside his house. The
victim lost conciousness and when on the ground Finn continued on kicking the
victim and was later told that he could escape jail if he paid the victim €3000
compensation which was described as "a token of remorse". Lastly a Jane Ruffino
told the media she felt down by the media after her attacker escaped jail when
he was told to pay €5000 and this would mean he would get a suspended sentence.
The above clearly shows that the justice system is letting down women
and not only that the political system to boot but the former is not as
noticeable as the latter. We have a male orientatied establishment that seems to
take no notice of how women are treated and women can still be considered second
class citizens in this country. We need to change the system and do a root and
branch clear out of the judicial system . Nolans sentences are not satisfactory
at all IMO, something that I, if I were a woman, would take issue with.
Sources:
http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/b...lt-561171.html
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...reaking52.html
http://www.independent.ie/national-n...0-3265350.html
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland...er-213581.html
http://www.independent.ie/national-n...k-3294545.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...rested-ireland
Many
thanks to Alison at IFN for her help on this
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