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Delay in prosecution leads to imposition of reporting restrictions in child sexual offence case
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High Court rules that due to prosecutorial delay, a criminal prosecution for alleged sexual offences involving a minor will proceed with ad hoc reporting restrictions to prevent the identification of the accused, who was also a minor at the time of the alleged offences, on the grounds that the public interest in prosecuting serious offences must be balanced against the prejudice to the accused, concluding that the imposition of reporting restrictions adequately addresses the potential prejudice caused by the delay.
Prosecutorial delay - criminal prosecution - sexual offences - child - anonymity - Children Act 2001 - reporting restrictions - public interest - prejudice - balancing exercise - ad hoc reporting restrictions - constitutional fairness - mens rea - reasonable mistake defense - Director of Public Prosecutions - Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2006 - "close in age" defense - "Romeo and Juliet" defense - presumption of innocence - statutory entitlements - expedited trial - juvenile offender - constitutional issues - legal interpretation, -Supreme Court of Ireland.
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