The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is to appeal the leniency of the 6 month prison sentence handed down to a Dublin businessman for a random sex attack on a woman as she walked home at night.

Aviation broker Anthony Lyons of Griffith Avenue was also ordered to pay €75,000 compensation to his 27-year-old victim who he sexually assaulted on October 3rd 2010.

Last month Judge Des Hogan imposed a 6 year sentence on Mr. Lyons but then suspended all but 6 months of it.

He also ordered the businessman to pay compensation to his victim who he had rugby tackled to the ground and sexually assaulted late at night in north Dublin.

Afterwards the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre questioned is it fair that a person can pay compensation in lieu of serving a custodial sentence?

Anthony Lyons had put forward the unusual defence at his trial that he had carried out the attack because of his cholesterol medication.

The Courts Service has confirmed that the DPP this afternoon lodged papers with the Court of Criminal Appeal to challenge the leniency of the sentence.