Jailed man's appeal against rape sentence 'hung over' Mayo victim for 22 months

A Mayo woman who was raped by a work colleague almost 12 years ago has criticised the length of time it has taken for his unsuccessful appeal against the severity of his sentence to be heard, RTÉ News is reporting.

Ciara Mangan was raped by 30-year-old Shane Noonan of Turlough Road in Castlebar at a party in May 2013.

They were both 18 at the time and working together in a fast food restaurant in Castlebar.

He pleaded guilty shortly before his trial was due to start in 2023 and was sentenced to eight years with the final year suspended.

The Appeal Court upheld that sentence yesterday.

Ms. Mangan said the appeal had hung over her for 22 months and it was only now she felt she had got justice.

She said the justice system had allowed Noonan to exert control over her for all that time and described the system as "inhumane."

She said it was only now that she could be sure of the exact date her attacker would be released.

Ms. Mangan has set up an organisation to support survivors of sexual violence called beyondsurviving.ie and was accompanied to court by two fellow survivors, Sarah Grace and Paula Doyle.

Speaking outside court, Mr. Mangan said: "My healing has been on hold. I'm not allowed to heal until this is over."

Lawyers for Noonan had argued that more consideration should have been given to the mitigating factors.

Senior Counsel, Mr. Damien Colgan argued that more of the sentence could have been suspended.

But prosecuting counsel, Ms. Anne Marie Lawlor, said this was the "predatory, violent rape of an 18-year-old".

She said the guilty plea came very late and the sentence was wholly within the discretion of the court.

Ms Lawlor suggested the sentence could in fact have been longer.

Shane Noonan was sentenced to eight years with the final year suspended

The appeal court found there was no error in principle in the trial judge's original sentence.

The original sentence hearing heard that Ms Mangan became suddenly unwell after being handed an open can of cider at a party on 11 May 2013.

She said Noonan then made a bee line for her, guided her upstairs and raped her in a bathroom. She was described as being in a vulnerable position, slipping in and out of consciousness.

The court also heard Ms Mangan had been subjected to "rape comments" and "rape song" by colleagues in the restaurant in the aftermath.

She did not tell her parents until her younger sister was about to start work in the same restaurant.

Noonan had no previous convictions and has not come to garda attention for anything else.