Miscarriage of justice in 1997 Cleggan sex attack case

A GALWAY man has had his conviction for sexually assaulting a young girl more than a decade ago has been declared a miscarriage of justice. The Court of Criminal Appeal granted a certification on Monday stating that Michael Feichin Hannon's 1999 conviction for the assault against the then ten year old Una Hardester, was a miscarriage of justice following her admission, in 2006, that she had made up the allegation.The three judge CCA, of Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman, sitting with Mr Justice Daniel Herbert and Mr Justice John MacMenamin granted the certificate in what was described as an "alarming and disturbing" case where an entirely innocent man was convicted by a jury.Mr Hannon, Mr Justice Hardiman said, is entitled to have his good name restored. Mr Hannon (33) of Attymon, Athenry, but originally from the Clifden area, received a suspended four year prison sentence at Galway Circuit Court after being found guilty by a jury of sexually assaulting and of assaulting Una Hardester near her then home at Aughrismore, Cleggan, Co Galway in January 1997.The matter is now...