R v Robert Edward O'Brien

Facts

The applicant, Robert Edward O'Brien, was the neighbour and a family friend of two sisters, C1 and C2, when they were children. Each alleged that he had sexually abused them: C1 described digital penetration on numerous occasions, penetration with objects, rape and buggery, occurring on her account between June 1980 and December 1987, when she was aged between 12 and 19 and the applicant was aged 30 to 37; C2, the older sister, described being touched, being made to touch his penis and to perform oral sex, and being raped on one occasion, between June 1980 and September 1982, starting when she was 14 or 15. C1 first made her allegations on 13 June 2016, at a time when the sisters had not spoken for about 20 years; C2 disclosed her own abuse when approached by the Officer-in-the-Case as a potential witness. The applicant denied everything in interview, in his Defence Case Statement and in evidence. On 20 September 2018, in the Crown Court at Preston before Her Honour Judge Lloyd and a jury, he was convicted of nine counts of indecent assault and six counts of rape and acquitted on two counts of indecent assault, and on 23 November 2018 was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment. Acting in person, he sought an extension of time of 2,023 days to appeal against conviction; the Single Judge refused the application on the papers and he renewed it before the Full Court.