DPP appeal against leniency of sex assault sentence given priority listing

The State's appeal on grounds of undue leniency against the six-month sentence handed down to sex attacker Anthony Lyons has been given a priority listing by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Lyons (52) was last year jailed for six months by Judge Desmond Hogan for sexual assaulting in October 2010. He was given six years with 5½ years suspended and ordered to pay his victim €75,000 in compensation.

He was released from prison in December.

Lyons admitted the attack but claimed he was overcome with an “irresistible urge” due to the combination of alcohol, cholesterol medicine and cough syrup.

State Solicitor Pádraic Taylor yesterday asked for an early date for the appeal as it was a case where the longer the respondent was at liberty, the greater the risk of prejudice to the DPP’s appeal.