Legal experts predict unconstitutional rape law challenges
Some legal experts believe the seven people currently serving jail sentences under the statutory rape law declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court this week are likely to be freed, according to reports this morning.
The Prison Service has confirmed that seven men are in jail for breach of the law which makes it an automatic crime for a man to have sex with a girl under the age of 15, regardless of whether it was consensual.
The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that this breached the constitution because it does not take account of the fact that the accused may have genuinely believed the girl was older.
The ruling is likely to prompt appeals by people who have been convicted under the legislation.
Yesterday Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the Dáil that a new piece of legislation would be introduced within weeks to rectify the situation.
He also said that the ruling did not mean everyone serving sentences for statutory rape would be released.
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