Christopher Ward
A Dundalk man jailed for raping his 74-year-old aunt has died from a heart attack, just weeks before his appeal was due to be heard.
52-year-old Christopher Ward, whose last address was in Birmingham in England, was convicted by the Central Criminal Court following an eight day trial 12 months ago of the rape and sexual assault of his aunt Kathleen Ward at her home in Dundalk on March 13 2011.
He was then sentenced last May to 14 years in prison by Mr Justice George Birmingham after Ms Ward waived her right to anonymity so that her nephew could be identified.
According to UTV Ireland, Ward was due to appeal his conviction and sentence in the Court of Appeal in less than two weeks’ time.
However, his barrister, Michael O’Higgins SC, told the Court of Appeal on Wednesday that “regrettably Mr Ward had a heart attack on Friday and died”.
That in effect meant the matter will not proceed on that date, Mr O’Higgins said.
Mr Justice Birmingham, who was Ward’s trial judge and would therefore not have heard the appeal, said he was sorry to hear about the news of “Mr Ward’s demise”.
The appeal which was listed for hearing on Tuesday 18 April next will not now proceed.
