Courts / Dublin / Report

Violent burglar has jailed term cut by three years

Date
2017-01-23

Stage
Appeal

Court
Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a case heard at the Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court, Romanian national Duku Popovici, aged 43, was found guilty of aggravated burglary at the home of James and Sarah Quigley in Carrick-on-Suir, Co. Tipperary, on 26 September 2013. The jury convicted him of aggravated burglary, and Judge Tom Teehan sentenced him to 12 years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years. The Court of Appeal, hearing the appeal on 23 January 2017, reduced the headline sentence to nine years' imprisonment, again suspending the final two years. The appeal was based on the judge's error in setting the headline sentence and in imposing a sentence twice that of the co‑accused. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and the revised sentence, dismissing the appeal for conviction. The case involved a violent confrontation in the Quigley home, with Popovici allegedly threatening the occupants with a spanner and a second intruder striking the victim. Duku Popovici pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Violent burglar has jailed term cut by three years. Charges or matters: aggravated burglary at the home of James and Sarah Quigley in a remote location at Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary on September 26, 2013. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty

When:

September 26, 2013 Incident
July 23, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
2017-01-23 Publication

Why: Upon shouting at the men to establish the reason for their presence, Mr Quigley said Popovici, who was armed with some sort of adjustable spanner, had said 'get back or I'll stick this in you'. CNI source report

Case subjects

Duku Popovici

Appellant

Charges: aggravated burglary at the home of James and Sarah Quigley in a remote location at Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary on September 26, 2013 (Proven)

Plea: Not guilty

Finding: Found guilty

Outcome: Found guilty; Popovici was found guilty by a jury at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment with the final two suspended by Judge Tom Teehan on July 23, 2015. The Court of Appeal reduced his sentence today to nine years imprisonment with the final two suspended.