Care worker appeals severity of prison sentence

A 56-year-old care worker, who was convicted of assaulting an intellectually disabled woman by sitting on her lap, is appealing against the severity of a four-month prison sentence imposed on him by the District Court earlier this year.

Patrick McLoughlin, Mayfield, Claremorris, Co, Mayo, a clinical nurse manager at Arás Attracta in Swinford, was handed the prison sentence last February and ordered to pay €1,000 to his victim's personal fund on things she enjoys such as having her hair done and going on outings.

When the matter came before Judge Rory MacCabe at the Circuit Criminal Court in Castlebar this morning (Tuesday), barrister Conall McCarthy said his client was appealing the sentence on grounds of severity only.

Judge MacCabe put the appeal hearing back to October after Mr. McCarthy said he wanted to adduce medical evidence and other evidence before the court.

Patrick Reynolds, counsel for the State, asked that CCTV evidence and other evidence from a detective garda sergeant be heard today but Judge MacCabe said he felt it better that the matter be dealt with at one sitting.

He put the case back to October.

Patrick McLoughlin, a father of three, described his actions in the District Court in sitting on his victim's lap as 'a bit of fun' but Judge Mary Devins said there had been a hint of cruelty in his actions to a particularly vulnerable woman and found him guilty of assault.

Charges of assault against the accused arose from filming at Bungalow 3 of the Áras complex carried out covertly by RTÉ's Investigations Unit.