Conviction Overturned Over Jury Instructions | Cork News

Cork News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 17, 2026 · 1m

A man’s conviction for defiling a 16-year-old girl has been overturned after the Court of Appeal ruled the trial judge improperly influenced the jury by linking disbelief in his claim of innocence to doubt over his belief she was 18 — a fatal error that violated his right to present alternative defenses. Though acquitted of sexual assault, he was convicted of defilement by a majority verdict. The appellate judges emphasized the judge’s comments were not minor but a fundamental flaw, ordering a retrial with the case set for early October. The court also dismissed the “Bart Simpson defense” as…