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	2 and a Half Year Sentence for Priest Who Abused Pupils Belfast Telegraph [Ireland] March 5, 2007 http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article2329978.ece The Court of Criminal Appeal has handed down a two and a half year jail term to a priest who sexually abused four pupils at Gormanston College in Meath between 1974 and 1981. Ronald Bennett of Seafield Road, Killiney, a former spiritual advisor and sports master at the school escaped a jail term last summer when he was given a five year suspended sentence. The three judge court today described that sentence as "inappropriate". Fr. Bennett was arrested in 1999, and pleaded guilty to the abuse in June last year. The court heard he was categorised at the lowest level of risk of re-offending and had undergone considerable therapy. Today the DPP challenged the original five year sentence on grounds of undue leniency, saying Judge Desmond Hogan did not have sufficient regard to the gravity of the offences and the consequences for the victims. The court agreed, and suspended just half of the five year sentence. One of the victims said he was "relieved" that Bennett would finally be serving a custodial sentence.
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