Courts / Dublin / Report

Violent criminal who asked for stay on sentence after attacking gardai is jailed

Date
2023-10-11

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Tallaght

County
Dublin

Summary

John Paul Duncan, 39, with 139 prior convictions, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after he attacked two gardaí while being escorted to Mater Hospital. He had been arrested for possessing €8,500 worth of cocaine in six condoms and pleaded guilty. Duncan had requested a stay of sentence to enter a residential drug treatment program, but Judge Orla Crowe refused. The judge set a headline sentence of four years for the cocaine possession, reduced due to Duncan's early plea and remorse, and added a suspended six‑month portion for 18 months. The court also ordered Duncan to maintain good behaviour for 18 months upon release and to comply with Probation Services supervision. The assault on the gardaí, described as "nasty", was taken into account in the sentencing decision. The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Violent criminal who asked for stay on sentence after attacking gardai is jailed. Charges or matters: possessing €8,500 in cocaine contained in six condoms at Store Street Garda Station on January 31 last. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

January 31 Incident
June 2017 Other
2023-10-11 Publication

Why: Duncan had asked for his sentence to be stayed in order to allow him take up a residential drug treatment placement. CNI source report

Case subjects

John Paul Duncan

Defendant

Charges: possessing €8,500 in cocaine contained in six condoms at Store Street Garda Station on January 31 last (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Keith Spencer BL, defending Duncan, had requested a fully-suspended sentence so that his client could take up a place in a rehabilitation centre from next week. Judge Crowe suspended the final six months of the sentence for 18 months and ordered Duncan to be of good behaviour for 18 months on release and abide by the supervision of the Probation Services.