NWCI reacts with outrage at todays High Court decision

Published: Tuesday, May 30, 2006

The National Womens Council of Ireland (NWCI) have reacted with outrage at the release, this afternoon, of a 41-year old man who was jailed in 2004 for having sex with a 12-year old girl. The High Courts decision to free the man has come in the aftermath of last weeks judgement by the Supreme Court that the States laws on statutory rape were unconstitutional.

Sadly, it comes as no real surprise that we are in this dreadful circumstance. We have known that the status of this legal situation, up until last weeks Supreme Court decision, has been viewed as legally unsound for 16 years stated Joanna McMinn, Director, NWCI.

• The Government should have been prepared for this situation and made preparation to plug any legal loophole that a sexual offender may try to exploit in the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling.
• The NWCI is deeply concerned at the message being sent to sexual offenders today. It is a clear message that the law is inconsistent and can be manipulated. Equally so, we are deeply concerned at the message being sent to victims of sexual violence and the impact of todays ruling on these victims.

The National Womens Council calls on the Government to immediately fast-track emergency legislation to fill the legal gap created by last weeks Supreme Court decision concluded Dr McMinn.