Courts / Dublin / Report

86-year-old woman put head first into wheelie bin

Date
2023-05-19

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Alex Bailey, 30, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for assaulting an 86-year-old woman in Dublin 6 on September 1, 2022. Bailey pleaded guilty to assault causing harm, robbery, and false imprisonment. The court heard that Bailey, who was experiencing induced psychosis due to intoxication, assaulted the victim for 42 minutes, including putting her head first into a wheelie bin and applying pressure to the lid. The victim, who had early-onset dementia, suffered a fractured nose and blood loss. She subsequently lost her independence and moved into a nursing home due to balance issues and trauma. Bailey, who has no previous convictions, offered €10,000 in court as a token of remorse. Judge Crowe treated the assault as the principal offence, noting aggravating factors such as the victim's age and the duration of the attack. She sentenced Bailey to three years in prison, backdated from when he went into custody. The final six months of the sentence were suspended on conditions that he keep the peace, be of good behaviour for two years post-release, abstain from alcohol and drugs, attend the Rutland Centre for one year, and agree to random urine testing. If the victim does not accept the €10,000, it is to be donated to The Royal Hospital in Donnybrook.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 86-year-old woman put head first into wheelie bin. Charges or matters: assaulting the woman causing her harm on September 1, 2022, in Dublin 6. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

September 1, 2022 Incident
2023-05-19 Publication

Why: She has since had to move into a nursing home because she struggles with her balance following the attack and needs constant care due to a risk of her falling. CNI source report