Courts / Sligo / Report

Formula 1 engineer loses appeal over attack and false imprisonment of landlord (81)

Date
2020-11-06

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Sligo

County
Sligo

Summary

A Formula 1 engineer's appeal against a nine-year prison sentence for attacking and falsely imprisoning his elderly landlord has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Stefan Schaufler, aged 53, pleaded guilty at Sligo Circuit Court in 2018 to assaulting Michael Lally, aged 81, causing him serious harm, falsely imprisoning him for 29 hours, and robbing him at a house in Sligo. Schaufler lured Mr Lally to a bedroom under false pretence and beat him with a metal bar, causing multiple facial and skull fractures, brain bleeding, and spinal injuries. He also stole Mr Lally's wallet and car before handing himself in to gardaí in Wexford several days later. The Court of Appeal found the nine-year sentence was not excessive given the premeditated nature of the offence, the severity of injuries inflicted on an elderly victim, and the extended period of false imprisonment. The court noted Mr Lally's rescue depended on his family's intervention and gardaí diligence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Formula 1 engineer loses appeal over attack and false imprisonment of landlord (81). Charges or matters: assaulting Mr Lally causing him serious harm, falsely imprisoning him, robbing him of his wallet, bank card, and keys and taking his car at that address on June 20, 2018. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

June 20, 2018 Incident
2020-11-06 Publication

Case subjects

Unnamed 53-year-old

Convicted Person

Charges: assaulting Mr Lally causing him serious harm, falsely imprisoning him, robbing him of his wallet, bank card, and keys and taking his car at that address on June 20, 2018 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Francis Comerford sentenced him to 15 years in prison, with six years suspended, for the false imprisonment and to an identical sentence for the assault causing serious harm. The court found that an 'effective sentence' of nine years was not excessive or unduly severe, and it dismissed the appeal.