I have instructed the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to lodge an appeal against a sentence handed down in the Innisfail District Court.
On June 25, Jack Beattie was sentenced to six years imprisonment for one count of rape, with an immediate eligibility date at sentence.
The term of imprisonment was ordered to be served concurrently with a 5-year jail term the defendant is already serving for other sexual offending.
I consider the sentence handed down to be manifestly inadequate, and in my view, does not meet community expectations.
My thoughts are with the victim, who was just 10 years old when the sexual offending occurred, and her family.
A Notice of Appeal will be lodged with the Court of Appeal registry on my behalf by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
