Courts / Dublin / Report

Detention-centre rioter who pointed rifle at gardai gets seven years

Date
2015-01-14

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Crumlin

County
Dublin

Summary

Stephen Kelly, 20, of Crumlin, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to consecutive terms totalling seven years. He pleaded guilty to violent disorder at St Patrick's Institution on March 18, 2013, possession of a rifle on March 25, 2014, and burglary on March 12, 2014. The court heard that Kelly and three other inmates caused €33,000 in damage during an incident described as a "mini riot," during which prison officers were attacked. In the burglary, a house was ransacked, and items including a laptop, wedding ring, watches, a necklace, a silver pen, and a camera were stolen; these were later recovered from a BMW in which Kelly was a passenger. Regarding the rifle, Garda Enda Daly testified that Kelly held the weapon in a threatening manner, though examination later found it was not capable of firing. Judge Martin Nolan noted the gardaí had reason to believe their lives were in danger. The judge accepted there was "some hope" for Kelly's rehabilitation, noting his recent employment in prison laundry and course completion. The other three inmates involved in the violent disorder were previously sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan; two brothers received four-year sentences with the final two years suspended, while the fourth man received a four-year sentence with two and a half years suspended.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Detention-centre rioter who pointed rifle at gardai gets seven years. Charges or matters: violent disorder at St Patrick's Institution on March 18, 2013 and to possession of the rifle on March 25, 2014; burglary on March 12, 2014 during which a house was ransacked and a laptop, wedding ring, watches, a necklace, silver pen and camera were taken. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

March 18, 2013 Incident
March 25, 2014 Incident
March 12, 2014 Incident
March 2014 Incident
March 25 Other
2015-01-14 Publication

Why: He said Kelly now instructed him that he had been under significant pressure because of his drug use at the time and had been asked to move this gun. CNI source report

Case subjects

Stephen Kelly

Defendant

Charges: violent disorder at St Patrick's Institution on March 18, 2013 and to possession of the rifle on March 25, 2014; burglary on March 12, 2014 during which a house was ransacked and a laptop, wedding ring, watches, a necklace, silver pen and camera were taken (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: He accepted that there was "some hope" for Kelly's rehabilitation before he imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven years. The other three inmates were previously sentenced by Judge Patricia Ryan with two brothers receiving a four year sentence with the final two years suspended and the final man receiving a four year sentence with two and half years suspended.