Pensioner, 72, who abused two girls over the past 43 years walks free from court because he has DEMENTIA

  • Patrick Corrigan's systematic abuse lasted 43 years and left one of his victims pregnant

By Harriet Arkell

PUBLISHED: 06:56 EST, 19 December 2012 | UPDATED: 07:18 EST, 19 December 2012

An elderly man who systematically abused two girls over the last 43 years and made one of them pregnant has walked free from Gloucester Crown Court because of his mental condition.

A judge ruled that Patrick Corrigan, 72, who suffers from dementia, was mentally incapable of standing criminal trial because he would not be able to understand the proceedings, instruct lawyers or give evidence.

Corrigan had previously been found by a jury to have committed a catalogue of offences of rape, sexual assault, and indecency against children.

No other option: Judge William Hart said he had no alternative but to discharge Patrick Corrigan, despite his guilt

No other option: Judge William Hart said he had no alternative but to discharge Patrick Corrigan, despite his guilt

Yesterday the pensioner from Tuffley, Gloucestershire, walked free from Gloucester Crown Court after Judge William Hart said he had no option but to discharge him.

Corrigan was accused of raping a girl under 16 between 1971 and 1976, two charges of indecency with a child between 1969-1971, and two charges of indecent assault on the same person, then an adult, between 1997 and 2011.

He was also accused of attempting to rape a 10-year-old girl between 1989-1990, indecency against the same child between 1990-1995, and indecently assaulting her three times between 1987-1995.

 

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In June, a judge acting on the advice of psychiatrists and psychologists decided Corrigan was mentally unfit to plead or stand trial, before jurors found that he did 'do the acts alleged' after a five-day trial held under the Mental Health Act in July.

The case was then adjourned for further psychiatric reports, before Corrigan appeared at Gloucester Crown Court to hear his fate yesterday.

Prosecutor Ray Tully said that under the Mental Health Act, there were only three possible options: a hospital order, a supervision order, or a discharge.

'This is not a happy situation', he said.

Gloucester Crown Court: Patrick Corrigan walked free from the court yesterday because of his dementia

Gloucester Crown Court: Patrick Corrigan walked free from the court yesterday

Christopher Amis, for Corrigan, said the probation service had declined to prepare a report as they were unable to manage someone with his disability, leaving the court with only the discharge option.

Judge William Hart told Corrigan: 'You will know that the jury found that you had carried out the alleged acts. That, I hope, is of some comfort to the complainants who gave evidence.'

He said there were a limited number of sentencing options and Corrigan's condition meant he did not qualify for a hospital order under the Mental Health Act.

Supervision by the probation service or social services would be of no benefit to Corrigan or the public, so the judge said he had no other option but to discharge him.

This, he said, did not detract from the gravity of what Corrigan had done.

The judge imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order that barred Corrigan from any unsupervised contact with children under 16 and from any contact with the complainants.

He also ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders register for five years.

The systematic abuse came to light last year when one of the women involved told police she had been sexually abused by Corrigan from the age of nine to 16.

She told officers he made her carry out sex acts before he began raping her at the age of 11.

It was alleged in the trial this summer that this had happened up to four times a week, and that when the girl was 13, she became pregnant.

She had the baby when she was 14, she and the child were taken into care and the baby was later adopted.

Corrigan denied to police that he had ever had sex with the woman when she was a child, but DNA tests proved that he was the father.

In later life, the girl had occasionally to go Corrigan's home and, on two such visits, he made sexual advances to her.

The jury was told that offences against the second girl followed a similar pattern, but although Corrigan abused her, he did not rape her.

After the jury had returned verdicts that on all 19 charges Corrigan did the alleged acts, the judge said it was clear how badly affected the victims had been by their experiences.

He said that if Corrigan had been fit for trial and had been convicted he would have received a sentence of about 15 years.

David Tucker, Associate Head of Policy at the NSPCC, said: 'It’s desperately unfortunate that the appalling damage caused by this man cannot be properly reflected in a prison sentence.

'The victims suffered horrendous sexual abuse over a number of years and will no doubt need counselling and support to help get their lives back on track.

'The only crumb of comfort they can take from this dreadful case is that their stories have been believed.'

 
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hart, you are a bloody fool. get a job you can do............. because you can not do the one you have..

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If he is let off what does that say to other survivors of sexual abuse? Don't bother because all he needs to do is "become too ill" to stand trial? I hope he gets what he deserves.

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I loathe the lenient sentencing so prevalent today, but I don't believe it's right to punish someone for a past crime when their brain no longer comprehends the world around them.

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Man 45 who hacked in to and badly damaged NASA computers walks free after he says he has Aspergers..........

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Such ignorance displayed here about dementia. Those who have this condition are not able to understand what it happening around them. They lose their ability to comprehend daily life. In fact they regress, go back to a childlike mentality in most cases and you would not put a young child on trial, would you? That his crimes were committed before he became affected by his condition makes no difference, he has it now. In the past, they put a monkey on trial in this country and I believe that pigs have also been tried and I think that there are still those who would consider this appropriate today.

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How ridiculous he cannot have had dementia 43 years ago,he should have been kept in prison, no confidence at all in justice here,criminals walk amongst us all the time,life is dangerous for all of us here now.

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Probably have a sudden improvement in his condition (like a certain MP has)_ and even use it as an excuse to continue behaviour since he is "not responsible". He should have been remanded until such a report as is necessary for his committal to an institution could be made. HE SHOULD NOT BE FREE.

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Disgraceful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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He was a sexual predator when he was 'sane' enough to be incarcerated but, now he's managed to convince people he's 'too confused', he's considered safe to release back into society with naught but a "don't go raping any children again" instruction? Let me get this right, he's too mentally ill to be incarcerated, yet coherent enough to be expected to adhere to the set conditions? I guess when you have bent politicians who successfully claim to be too 'unwell' to be prosecuted over stealing from the tax-payer, this is the logical next step.

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On the assumption that the 'dementia' is real, and that it is advanced, then that is far worse than any sentence that could be imposed, and far worse than a death sentence that he could never get. If he had mild dementia then a custodial sentence should apply.

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