The Court of Criminal Appeal has ruled the six month prison sentence imposed on a wealthy businessman for a violent sex attack was too lenient.

Anthony Lyons with an address at Griffith Avenue in Dublin will now have to return to court, perhaps as early as next week, to find out what fresh penalty will be imposed.

Mr. Lyons rugby-tackled his victim to the ground and sexually assaulted her on a Dublin street three years ago.

At his trial he claimed he was overcome with an 'irresistible urge' due to the combination of alcohol, cholesterol medicine and cough syrup - but he was convicted by a jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

He was given a 6-year sentence with 5.5 years suspended and ordered to pay €75,000 compensation.

Lawyers for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) lawyers appealed the sentence on the grounds it was too lenient and they have won.

The court will supply reasons later but it has found that given the gravity of the offence, mitigating factors could not justify the suspension of all but six months of his sentence.

The 52-year-old aviation broker faces the prospect of a fresh spell in prison when the case returns to court to decide on a new sentence.