Sinead's story
Many people have contacted me in response to Friday's programme, which featured an extended with "Sinead" from Belfast who was repeatedly raped and stabbed by a 15-year old youth eighteen months ago. Sinead was speaking for the first time about her ordeal, and about the Court of Appeal's decision last week to extend the perpetrator's sentence by two years -- bringing the full sentence to just seven years. Sinead's story will cause many to raise questions about our current tarriff and sentencing policies, including the 50 per cent remission rule, and the reduction in sentence allowed in cases where a perpetrator pleads guilty.
Sinead's account of what happened to her on St Patrick's night, 2005, was harrowing beyond words. Many listeners texted and called to say how moved they were; some who were driving said they were unable to leave their car until the interview finished; others that they simply wept while they listened. I had the same reaction; it was one of the most disturbing interviews I've ever conducted.
Sinead is in the news again today, since it's emerged that the anonymity to which she is legally entitled was accidentally breached by the. The Lord Chief Justice, Sir Brian Kerr, has launched an investigation and apologised to Sinead for the procedural error which left her personal details on the Court Service website (apparently for at least four days) until shortly after my interview with her ended on Friday. Stephen Gordon of the Sunday Life spotted the error and called me after the programme to bring the matter to Sinead's attention; he wrote a front page story in today's edition of the paper under the headline "In the Dock". The seriousness of this breach of anonymity cannot be underestimated.
Henry McDonald also details the breach of anonymity in today's . In addition to launching an investigation and apologising to Sinead, the Court Service say the identity of the perpetrator, who is now 17 years old, can be revealed. He is named by both Stephen Gordon and Henry McDonald in their reports today.
Comments
Sinead is in my thoughts and prayers.
Apalling; and an apology isn't quite going to cut it. As it's a court service screwup, shouldn't the court service offer her protection now? I'm not one to join a backlash just for the sake of it, but heads must surely roll for this error now.
Very interesting. Our Judicial system exhibits its flaws once again.
Hi Will - just wondering if you deliberately chose NOT to name MICHAEL JOHN GILBERT in this post? Any reason for that?