Man jailed for double rape

A Ballyclare man was jailed for nine years yesterday for twice raping a woman he was accompanying home from a public house nearly two years ago.

A lawyer told Belfast Crown Court that Ronny Todd (26) had already received punishment by being shot in both legs by paramilitaries.

Todd, from Grange Drive, had been convicted in March this year on two charges of rape and one of indecent assault, committed in the early hours of July 1st, 1994.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Higgins said rape was an unpleasant offence involving a degradation of the victim. There were aggravating features in the case, but he considered that it should be treated as one incident.

Todd was sentenced to nine years on each count of rape, and was given four years for indecent assault, the sentences to run concurrently.