'Not acceptable' - Taoiseach decries decision by mystery TD to give character reference to ex-government adviser convicted of child exploitation

"The Taoiseach has stated that it is not acceptable for public representatives to give character references in criminal cases of a sexual nature, emphasizing the need to focus on the victim's experience."

"A judge criticized a TD for praising a convicted offender's 'previous good name,' pointing out the neglect of the victim and the 'vile' and 'horrifying nature' of the offender's crimes."

Micheál Martin stated that it is unacceptable for public representatives to give character references in sexual crime cases. A judge criticized a TD for praising a convicted offender's character while neglecting the victim's suffering and the serious nature of the crimes. Daniel Ramamoorthy, convicted of sexually exploiting a 13-year-old boy in 2017, was the subject of this controversy, highlighting the inappropriate nature of such references in court.

Read at Independent