Galway Bay fm newsroom - The Court of Appeal has heard that a Loughrea man convicted of violent rape received an "extraordinary" discount on his prison sentence because he cannot speak English.
Costel Pirvu was found guilty of rape and false imprisonment after a nine-day trial last year.
39 year old Costel Pirvu, formerly of Kilreekil, Loughrea, was jailed for six and a half years last year.
The offence took place at a town in the West of Ireland in the early hours of February 4th, 2018.
The victim, who was 19 at the time, was socialising with friends who had walked her half way home.
She was then approached by Pirvu, who chased her and subjected her to a violent rape.
He then forced her back to his apartment where he raped her a further two times.
When passing sentence, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy noted Pirvu has a history of violent offending, including convictions for robbery, attempted rape, house-breaking and assault.
At the Court of Appeal this week, the state argued the jail term of six and a half years handed down was unduly lenient.
It claims he received an extraordinary sentence discount on a ten year sentence - because the trial judge felt his lack of English would make prison life more difficult for him.
The court adjourned the matter to Thursday for judgement.
