Courts / Dublin / Report
Teen who carried out string of crimes had "tragic" childhood, court told
Summary
Gerard Hughes, 19, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with the final 12 months suspended, for a series of drug‑induced offences including assault, property damage, unlawful car taking and dangerous driving. He pleaded guilty to assaulting a hotel manager at The Maldron Hotel in Tallaght on 20 November 2015, damaging property, unlawfully taking a Nissan Qashqai on 13 December 2015 and two counts of dangerous driving on the same day. The assault involved Hughes entering the manager's office with a fire extinguisher, demanding money, grabbing her around the mouth, shoving her to the ground and fleeing. The victim suffered a split lip, facial bruising and leg injury. Hughes was identified by CCTV, had no memory of the incident due to drug use, and was arrested after a chase that involved driving the stolen car the wrong way around a roundabout. He has 47 prior convictions and was banned from driving for 10 years.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Teen who carried out string of crimes had "tragic" childhood, court told. Charges or matters: one count of assault causing harm to a woman at The Maldron Hotel in Tallaght on November 20 last year; damaging property, unlawfully taking a car and two counts of dangerous driving in Tallaght on December 13 last year. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 20 Incident
- December 13 Incident
- 2016-10-11 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: one count of assault causing harm to a woman at The Maldron Hotel in Tallaght on November 20 last year; damaging property, unlawfully taking a car and two counts of dangerous driving in Tallaght on December 13 last year (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: She sentenced him to three years' imprisonment but suspended the final 12 months on a number of conditions including that he be of good behaviour for two years.
Places mentioned
Topics
Drugs Road Traffic Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime
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