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Recidivist burglar who assaulted and threatened to kill 97-year-old woman has sentenced increased
Summary
Paul McDonagh, 43, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for assaulting and threatening to kill a 97‑year‑old woman and for burglary. The sentence was increased from an earlier nine‑year term with three years suspended after the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed. McDonagh had previously gained entry to the victim's home by offering to tidy her gardens, then held his hand over her mouth, cutting her lip, repeatedly threatened to kill her, and fled with her purse. He had 26 prior burglary convictions and had served 12 years in the United Kingdom for a similar offence. The Court of Criminal Appeal deemed the offence of "utmost gravity" and imposed the 12‑year term, suspending the last two years on the condition of good behaviour and cooperation with a management plan while in prison.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Recidivist burglar who assaulted and threatened to kill 97-year-old woman has sentenced increased. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 2011 Incident
- June 8 Incident
- 2013-10-02 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Outcome: In December 2011 McDonagh was sentenced to nine years with three years suspended by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to making threats to kill, assault of the woman causing harm and burglary of her home in Marino, Dublin on June 8 th , 2010. He said that in circumstances where the maximum sentence that could have been imposed was one of 14 years, the imposition of a sentence of nine years with three years suspended amounted to an error in principle.
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