Courts / Sligo / Report

Violent criminal who repeatedly punched pregnant partner has jail time doubled

Date
2023-07-04
Stage
Appeal
Primary locality
Sligo
County
Sligo

Summary

A man with 86 previous convictions, including for domestic violence, has had his custodial sentence doubled following a Court of Appeal ruling. Jason Doyle (28) of Tower Hill, Ballymote, County Sligo, pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm against his then partner at their home on 10 January 2021. Sligo Circuit Criminal Court had imposed a two-year sentence with 15 months suspended. The State appealed on grounds of undue leniency. The victim sustained injuries including bleeding to the head, bruising to the jaw-line, and blows to the back of her head and body during the overnight incident. Justice Isobel Kennedy, delivering the Court of Appeal's judgment, found the lower court had erred in principle by applying an excessive mitigation discount. The court substituted a headline sentence of three years with nine months credited for the guilty plea and nine months suspended, resulting in an 18-month custodial term.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Violent criminal who repeatedly punched pregnant partner has jail time doubled. Charges or matters: one count of assault causing harm on a full-facts basis, where all the details of the offences are heard. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

Why: Doyle, of Tower Hill, Ballymote, Co Sligo, received a two-year sentence but with the final 15 months suspended in order to encourage his rehabilitation for addiction and anger issues. CNI source report

Case subjects

Jason Doyle

Accused

Charges: one count of assault causing harm on a full-facts basis, where all the details of the offences are heard (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Doyle, of Tower Hill, Ballymote, Co Sligo, received a two-year sentence but with the final 15 months suspended in order to encourage his rehabilitation for addiction and anger issues. Ms Justice Kennedy said the Court of Appeal would quash the original sentence and substitute a headline sentence of three years but with nine months discounted for Doyle's guilty plea.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Court of Appeal
  • Sligo
  • Sligo Circuit Criminal Court

Topics

Stage Appeal Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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