11/08/2010

Rapist's Freedom Can's Be Halted: Ahern

A rapist is to go free shortly despite calls to revoke remission of the sentence of the sex offender.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has again stressed that he is not in a position to stop the release of convicted rapist Larry Murphy from prison.

Murphy is due to be released from Dublin's Arbour Hill Prison after serving 10½ years of a 15-year jail term, one year of which was suspended.

Mr Ahern said that as with all prisoners in Ireland, Murphy is entitled to remission equal to one quarter of his sentence.

"There is no early release of serious sex offenders," said Mr Ahern. "All of these types of offenders have served all the sentences provided for by the court subject to law.

"The courts when they are handing down sentences are aware of remission rates so any suggestion that I can as minister can change in relation to any individual's court sentence is absolutely nonsense," he added.

Currently he can only sanction or refuse the release of a criminal serving a life sentence.

Mr Ahern said that while he cannot extend sentences for sex offenders, he said there were "constant discussions" over the release of such prisoners to ensure that they were rehabilitated in such a way that they do not pose a danger to the public.

Murphy (45) was jailed for 15 years for the repeated rape and attempted murder of a Carlow woman in the Wicklow Mountains in February 2000.

The married father of two kidnapped his victim from a car park in Carlow town, drove her into the mountains, raped her several times and threw her in the boot of his car with a shopping bag over her head in an apparent attempt to suffocate her.

He was arrested a short time later after one of the men who disturbed the attack recognised Murphy.

(BMcC/GK)

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