Courts / Dublin / Report

Mugger who targeted lone woman has jail sentence increased

Date
2021-03-05
Stage
Appeal
Primary locality
Tallaght
County
Dublin

Summary

In 2021 the Court of Appeal increased the sentence of 51‑year‑old Stephen Joyce, a father of seven from Tallaght, for a 2019 mugging. Joyce had approached a woman alone at a bus stop, asked for a cigarette, then grabbed her bag and threatened her with a knife. A security guard heard the incident, confronted Joyce and called the gardai, who found him still in possession of the victim's items. CCTV identified him and he pleaded guilty to robbery at the Circuit Criminal Court, receiving a 21‑month sentence on 18 June 2020. The Court of Appeal, after hearing from the Director of Public Prosecutions, agreed the sentence was too lenient and raised it to four years, suspending the final six months for two years. The decision was made by Justice Patrick McCarthy, with Justice Aileen Donnelly and Justice Isobel Kennedy present.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Mugger who targeted lone woman has jail sentence increased. Charges or matters: robbery at the Circuit Criminal Court and on June 18, 2020 he received a 21-month prison sentence. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

Case subjects

Unnamed woman

Appellant

Charges: robbery at the Circuit Criminal Court and on June 18, 2020 he received a 21-month prison sentence (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Grainne O'Neill BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, had asked the court to find that the original sentence imposed on 51-year-old Stephen Joyce, with an address in Tallaght, south Dublin, was unduly lenient. The court increased the sentence to four years with the final six months suspended for two years.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Court of Appeal
  • Circuit Criminal Court
Secondary Mention
Incident

Topics

Stage Appeal Theft

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