November 29, 2005

Ex-nun in botched rape case bids to clear name

IRELAND
Irish Independent

David Quinn

NORA Wall, the ex-nun who had her life sentence for rape quashed six years ago, is applying to the Court of Criminal Appeal for a certificate declaring a Miscarriage of Justice.

Her case appears before the court on Thursday and if she obtains the certificate, the way will be cleared for her to sue the State.

In 1999, Ms Wall sensationally became the first woman in the history of the State to be found guilty of rape. She also became the first person of either sex to receive a life sentence for the offence.

The sentence was quashed after just four days when it emerged that a key prosecution witness had given evidence despite an instruction from the Director for Public Prosecution that she not be permitted to do so. A number of other errors in their June 1999 trial also emerged.

Posted by kshaw at November 29, 2005 09:22 AM