Prison unlikely to be much harder for foreigner who has settled in Ireland

Criminal law – sentencing – appeal of term of four years’ imprisonment with final year suspended imposed for sexual assault committed during the showing of an apartment for rent by a postgraduate student – s.2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990 – producing an article capable of inflicting serious injury in the course of a dispute or a fight and in a manner likely unlawfully to intimidate another person – s.11 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act 1990 – impact on victim – culpability of the offender was significant and substantial psychological harm was done to the victim – discounting by one third from the headline sentence the sentencing judge adequately reflected the available mitigation for the appellant’s plea, limited co-operation and previous good character – prison is unlikely to be very much harder for this individual in circumstances where he was well settled in Ireland for a number of years and has some command of the language – no error in principle – appeal dismissed