A man who committed a violent sexual attack on an American student in Cork had his six years jail sentence increased to nine years yesterday.
The Court of Criminal Appeal increased the sentence on Kevin Healy (26) following an appeal by the DPP against the leniency of the original sentence handed down in December 2005.
Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, presiding at the three-judge court, said the court regarded the attack on the student as "a particularly horrific assault". Healy, Gort na Fludaigh, Beal Átha an Ghaorthaigh, Cork, claimed to be an IRA man and threatened to kill his victim, then aged 21, unless she stopped screaming.
The woman told the court Healy had threatened to murder her and she decided that, rather than leave her body "to be violated by a pervert", she would surrender. "He took my chastity."
In December 2005 Mr Justice Paul Carney, at the Central Criminal Court, imposed six-year sentences on oral rape and aggravated sexual assault charges and three years on a robbery charge, suspending the last 18 months.
The trial court was told that when arrested, Healy struck a garda, who took out his baton and hit him. Healy then overcame the garda and grabbed his walkie-talkie before running off towards a cul-de-sac. He was caught again when the garda enlisted the help of two civilians.
Healy pleaded guilty to oral rape and aggravated sexual assault of the woman on November 7th, 2004, and to robbing a Garda radio valued €2,000.
The victim told Mr Justice Carney her life has not been the same since. Going to the grocery store, church or a mailbox had become "terrifying tasks" which she was unable to complete without the assistance of a friend.
Mr Justice Carney placed Healy on the sex offenders register and said his crime was "quite frightful".