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05/05/2015
West Midlands Police Successfully Appeal 'Lenient' Sentence For Child Abuser
A 75-year-old man has been jailed for two years for a series of sex offences against children, after West Midlands Police appealed his suspended sentence.
A Warwick Crown Court in February Thomas Murtagh, of King Richard Street, Coventry, admitted 10 indecent assault charges on two sisters in the late 1960s and 70s, and given a two-year suspended sentence.
However, investigating officers from the force's Public Protection Unit were "driven by the victims' upset at seeing their attacker go free" and decided to work with prosecutors and appeal the sentence.
Detective Constable Clive Leftwich from Coventry Police, said: "The victims in the case were understandably very distressed at the original sentence…it took great courage to report the abuse and to see their attacker walk free left them shocked.
"I'm delighted we've been able to help overturn that decision, though, and that Murtagh has rightly been put behind bars. I've spoken to both women and they are thankful that justice has now been done."
DC Leftwich, added: "The original sentence was clearly too lenient: these were serious sexual offences by someone who, as a family friend, was in a position of trust…trust that he abused in the most horrendous way."
(MH)
A Warwick Crown Court in February Thomas Murtagh, of King Richard Street, Coventry, admitted 10 indecent assault charges on two sisters in the late 1960s and 70s, and given a two-year suspended sentence.
However, investigating officers from the force's Public Protection Unit were "driven by the victims' upset at seeing their attacker go free" and decided to work with prosecutors and appeal the sentence.
Detective Constable Clive Leftwich from Coventry Police, said: "The victims in the case were understandably very distressed at the original sentence…it took great courage to report the abuse and to see their attacker walk free left them shocked.
"I'm delighted we've been able to help overturn that decision, though, and that Murtagh has rightly been put behind bars. I've spoken to both women and they are thankful that justice has now been done."
DC Leftwich, added: "The original sentence was clearly too lenient: these were serious sexual offences by someone who, as a family friend, was in a position of trust…trust that he abused in the most horrendous way."
(MH)
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