LAST UPDATE | 25 Jul
A DUBLIN TAXI driver who was jailed earlier this week for 13 years for the rape of a child has been sentenced to an additional 17 years in prison for the separate rapes of two young women.
Raymond Shorten (50) was jailed on Monday for 13 years following his conviction in May of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault of a seven-year-old girl in 2012.
Shorten, of Melrose Crescent, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, was separately convicted at the Central Criminal Court in June of the rape of a 19-year-old woman on 26 June 2022 and the rape of another woman, then aged 20, a couple of months later on 9 August.
Today’s sentence has been strongly welcomed by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre as a punishment that “should give great hope” to victims going through the justice system.
Justice Paul McDermott handed Shorten a combined sentence of 17 years in relation to his 2022 offences, which will run consecutive to the sentence imposed on Monday, meaning that Shorten faces a global sentence for his sexual offending of 30 years.
The judge said Shorten had exhibited “no regret or remorse” and was “completely unrepentant” for the damage, both physical and mental, caused to the two victims in this case.
Justice McDermott noted that Shorten had gone on “in knowledge that he committed rape offences against a child” to identify two further victims and repeat his offence “without compunction or hesitation”.
He said he took into account the few mitigating features but added that the court must take into account the repeated nature of the sexual offending.
The court previously heard that the two young women in this case had separately found themselves in a taxi after a night out socialising and drinking in Dublin city centre, where Shorten raped them.
DRCC Chief Executive Rachel Morrogh said the sentence should also send a “message of zero tolerance” to perpetrators.
“The total jail term of 30 years is effectively equivalent to a life sentence. It is another significant sentence given by the courts in recent weeks to perpetrators of sexual offences and should give great hope to people going through the justice system that this most heinous crime will be punished by lengthy imprisonment,” Morrogh said.
“From start to finish, Raymond Shorten’s actions were part of a playbook used by rapists. Abusing trust and taking advantage of an unequal power dynamic are well-worn tactics.
“The jury that found Raymond Shorten guilty in June clearly saw through these efforts and Mr. Justice Paul McDermott has driven home the seriousness of his crimes with the 17-year jail term announced today.
“It is the hope of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre that the trend of substantial sentences being handed down for sexual crimes continues, and that this will encourage more victims to report to Gardai.
However, Morrough cautioned that Ireland is not yet at a point where “the elimination of sexual violence is in sight” and until that day comes, sexual crimes must be “punished severely” by the courts.
“We send wishes of healing and strength to the three young women who were attacked by Shorten and we thank them for speaking out,” Morrogh added.
Judge McDermott said it is a “poor reflection” on the safety of women in society that the best advice for them to get home safely “without the fear of violent attack” after a night out is not get the bus or walk home alone, but to get a taxi.
In his sentencing remarks, the judge said the case was about violence against women in society and the steps they must take to avoid or minimise this risk.
He said the case reflects the “unhappy reality” that women “too often become the subject of sexual or other forms of physical violence, or the threat of it, when they go out to simply enjoy themselves”.
The judge said this indicates “an underlying unhealthy attitude towards women and their fundamental rights in any society, if their sense of freedom and security in doing normal things is so compromised”.
He said it is a “poor reflection on the level of security and safety of women” who go for a night out that the best advice to get home safely and “without fear of violent attack by a male, or without unwanted attention” is not to get a bus or walk home alone, which they should be able to do.
He also said that using a taxi is a “reasonable” option and reflects the “level of trust” in that service.
The judge said there are many stories of the “great kindness and helpfulness” of taxi drivers and that Shorten’s behaviour would be regarded as “a gross betrayal of that high standard of service and professionalism”.
He said this is one of the reasons why the case had resonated with people and that breach of trust is an aggravating feature.
The judge also said it was a “disturbing feature” of the case that Shorten has also been convicted of sexually abusing a child.
He noted the 13-year sentence imposed in relation to Shorten’s offending against the young girl and said it was “significant” that he went on to repeat his offence against women he didn’t know “without compunction or hesitation”.
He said Shorten identified two further victims, deliberately took advantage of their vulnerability and carried out the offences in the “most humiliating and demeaning” manner.
The judge also said Shorten had breached the trust of the victims, who expected him to get them home safely, and that the taxi should have been a place of security for them.
He said Shorten had “effectively preyed” on both women, who were intoxicated and vulnerable, and that there was evidence he “targeted” the first victim, who had not hailed a taxi.
He said Shorten does not accept the jury’s verdict, maintains his innocence and has shown no remorse, and that Shorten was “completely unrepentant” for the damage inflicted on the victims in this case.
The judge acknowledged that Shorten is entitled to maintain that he did nothing wrong, but that this is a concern.
However, he said it is clear that Shorten “was, and remains, a danger to others”, in light of his previous offending.
“This is man who had already raped a child and years later set out to commit these offences within a short period of each other. He knew exactly what he was doing and appeared to do it with impunity,” he said.
He noted the harm, both physical and mental, caused to the victims in this case.
The judge said the two women had “acted with great dignity and courage” by reporting the offences and giving evidence during the trial.
The judge said that while a severe sentence is required in this case, he would not impose the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
He said there are “few” mitigating features in this case, but he had considered Shorten’s family background and personal circumstances as outlined to the court.
While Shorten’s offences against the young girl in 2012 were completely separate and distinct from this offending in 2022, the judge said he made a choice to commit two further rape offences and this had to be reflected in the sentence.
The judge said he had considered the sentencing principles of proportionality and totality.
He handed Shorten a nine-year sentence in respect of the first count of rape against the 19-year-old victim, to run consecutively to the 13-year sentence imposed on Monday.
He then imposed a sentence of eight years for the rape of the second victim, which is consecutive to the nine-year sentence. He imposed a 12-year sentence on the final count of rape, which is to run from the date of conviction.
The judge declined to suspend any portion of the sentence, and imposed a ten-year period of post-release supervision on Shorten.
He further directed Shorten is not to contact the victims in any way or to have unsupervised contact with a child.
He granted an application from the defence to extend legal aid in the event of an appeal.
Today’s sentence has been strongly welcomed by the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre as a punishment that “should give great hope” to victims going through the justice system.
With reporting by Eoghan Dalton
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