Courts / Dublin / Report

Jail for attempted car-jacker

Summary

Derek Claffey, aged 30, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment for unlawful seizure of cars in Lucan and Ardevin on 25 September 2017. The judge suspended the final year of the sentence on strict conditions and backdated the term to 20 September 2018, the date of his first custody in the matter. Claffey had discharged himself from hospital after a road‑traffic accident and had taken heroin earlier that day. He attempted to car‑jack two female drivers at knifepoint, using an eight‑inch serrated steak knife. In one incident he offered a woman €50 for her car keys; in another he cut a seat belt and threatened a woman's son. He has 64 previous convictions, including possession of knives, robbery and dangerous driving. The judge cited his guilty plea and personal circumstances as mitigating factors, while noting his history of substance abuse and the knife as aggravating factors. The prosecution requested a destruction order for the knife.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for attempted car-jacker. Charges or matters: unlawful seizure of cars in Ardevin, Lucan, and in Hillcrest Road, Lucan, on September 25, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• September 25, 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
• September 20, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2019-05-02 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Road Traffic Stage Sentence Theft

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Read the original CNI report