There’s been a renewed focus on character references for those found guilty of sexual crimes, after former Fianna Fáil TD Jim Glennon issued one for Daniel Ramamoorthy, a former government advisor who was convicted of the sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old boy in 2017. In 2024, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Act was introduced, mandating that people who provide character references must be sworn in by oath or affidavit, and they can be cross-examined. Treasa spoke to Miriam Henry, whose brother Gerald was convicted of abusing her and her sister Irene, about whether this new law on character references is being consistently applied in court.
If you are affected by this, you can contact the Kerry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre on 1800 633 333.
