Wednesday, October 6, 1999 Published at 16:09 GMT 17:09 UK
UK: Northern Ireland
Man jailed in DNA assault case
Teenager was nearly beaten to beyond recognition
A Northern Ireland man has been jailed for three years for assaulting a teenager after what a judge called a "remarkable piece of scientific detection" involving DNA.
One of his victims, 18-year-old Lynn McGall from Ballymena was so badly beaten about the face she was almost unrecognisable.
Cahoon was also convicted of assaulting his partner, Samantha Brown, and threatening to kill her.
She could not remember what happened on the night she was beaten and left lying in a field.
But when the DNA from the gum was put into a police database, it matched Cahoon's DNA swab from an earlier assault in Cookstown, County Tyrone.
Speaking after Cahoon was sentenced at Downpatrick Crown Court, Ms McGall said he had shown "absolutely no remorse" as he was taken to the cells.
"He turned and looked at Samantha and looked at me and smirked," she said.
"I am totally devastated. It's a joke. He tried to kill us both and he gets three years. He'll be out in six months after leaving me for dead. Obviously what he did to Samantha speaks for itself. It's awful."
Democratic Unionist Party Justice Spokesman, Ian Paisley junior, described the three-year sentence as "atrocious".
He said it sent out a "debilitating message" to anyone who wanted justice.
"The courts are failing the victims by sentencing that does not appear to punish severely the criminals," he said.
"Lynn McGall is fortunate to be alive. Her attack was unprecedented and vile, yet she has been given an insult by a court that has sentenced her brutal attacker to serve only a short period behind bars."
He is contacting the Lord Chancellor and Director of Public Prosecutions over the matter.