Courts / Dublin / Report

Prisoner gets 5.5-year sentence over attack on Afghan asylum seeker

Date
2018-01-24

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Ryan Connolly, 25, of Ferryman's Crossing, Sheriff Street, was sentenced to five and a half years in prison for assaulting a 21‑year‑old Afghan asylum seeker during a riot at Cloverhill Prison on 29 July 2015. CCTV showed Connolly either punching or stabbing the victim with an object taken from his pocket, causing distress and injuries that required hospital treatment. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, false imprisonment, violent disorder and criminal damage at the prison, as well as to several robberies in Dublin in 2017, including the theft of a 12‑year‑old girl's mobile phone and cash from shops. Connolly had 72 prior convictions, including robbery and firearms offences. The court imposed consecutive sentences, backdating the term to April 2017 when he entered custody. The judge noted Connolly's expressed desire for rehabilitation but remained unconvinced by his past record. The sentence reflects the seriousness of the prison assault and the related crimes.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Prisoner gets 5.5-year sentence over attack on Afghan asylum seeker. Charges or matters: assault causing harm, false imprisonment, violent disorder and criminal damage all at Cloverhill Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin, on July 29, 2015; robbing a then 12-year-old girl's mobile phone at Brides Glen Luas stop, Cherrywood, Dublin on April 12, 2017; robbing cash and possessing an imitation firearm at Topaz, Richmond Road, Fairview, on April 19, 2017 and Spar, Philipsburgh Avenue, Fairview, Dublin, on April 21, 2017; attempted robbery at Ladbrokes, Marlborough Street, Dublin on April 19, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 29, 2015 Incident
April 12, 2017 Incident
April 19, 2017 Incident
April 21, 2017 Incident
April 2017 Other
2018-01-24 Publication

Case subjects

Ryan Connolly

Convicted Person

Charges: assault causing harm, false imprisonment, violent disorder and criminal damage all at Cloverhill Prison, Clondalkin, Dublin, on July 29, 2015; robbing a then 12-year-old girl's mobile phone at Brides Glen Luas stop, Cherrywood, Dublin on April 12, 2017; robbing cash and possessing an imitation firearm at Topaz, Richmond Road, Fairview, on April 19, 2017 and Spar, Philipsburgh Avenue, Fairview, Dublin, on April 21, 2017; attempted robbery at Ladbrokes, Marlborough Street, Dublin on April 19, 2017 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Connolly was among a number of co-accused, who have been sentenced for their roles, involved in falsely imprisoning and attacking this man. He imposed five and a half years in consecutive sentences and backdated the term to April 2017, when Connolly entered custody on the matters.