Lawyers for sex offender Anthony Lyons say his fall from grace has been spectacular and has involved a level of publicity that has marked him 'almost as an outlaw' at a time when such a concept seems 'medieval'.

Patrick Gageby SC for the businessman has told the Court of Criminal Appeal that his family was hounded by journalists and stalked and harassed by a group of men while he was in prison.

The three judges hearing the case have reserved their decision on what new sentence to impose on the father of four from Griffith Avenue, after a ruling last week that his original 6 month jail term was too lenient.

Lyons (52) was convicted of a violent sexual assault on a woman as she walked home on an empty Dublin street at 2:30am in the morning in 2010.

Lyons admitted the attack but claimed he was overcome with an "irresistible urge" due to a combination of alcohol, cholesterol medicine and cough syrup.

He was given a 6-year sentence with 5 and a half years suspended.

His lawyers are asking the court to consider the hardship he has endured since his sentencing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last year, particularly the unwarranted attention afforded to his family.

A local man shook down the garden gates and made vulgar hand gestures less than 24 hours after Anthony Lyons was sent to jail, the court heard, while his son (10) was followed to school while with his mother.

'Spectacular fall from grace'

His daughter (19) said they were hounded by the media.

She said a journalist tried to contact her on Facebook, her sister's personal e-mail was published in a newspaper and a reporter banged on their door day and night.

Mr. Gageby said some newspapers have branded Mr. Lyons a sicko, a perv a sex beast. He has had to leave the country to find work and was asked to leave his golf club.

He said the fallout has been over and above the ordinary for a criminal conviction. He told the court that a very highly thought of individual had experienced a 'very spectacular fall from grace'.

The DPP has argued that the sexual assault carried out by Mr. Lyons is particularly serious because the father of four, rugby tackled his victim to the ground, put his hand over her throat and mouth, and tried to take her phone from her hand.

Caroline Biggs SC, for the DPP, acknowledged there were mitigating factors including the aviation broker's previous good character and that he had paid €75,000 compensation to the victim who has elected not to take it.

She agreed that the effect of adverse media attention can be a mitigating factor.

When asked by Mr. Justice John Murray whether the use of the word 'beast' disturbed the DPP, she said she had not been briefed on the matter.