Courts / Dublin / Report

On-bail criminal who attacked man on Boardwalk gets six years

Date
2023-12-09
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Patrick Stokes, 31, was sentenced to six years in prison for a series of offences including robbery, assault and criminal damage. He was living in a tent near the Dáil and had a long criminal record of 97 convictions. In October 2021 he robbed a homeless man in St Audoen's Park, taking about €400 from the victim's sock after the victim had given him €40. He also assaulted a man on the Liffey Boardwalk in September 2021, punching him to the ground and stamping on him, causing bruising and soft‑tissue damage. In June 2022 he robbed a shop in Dun Laoghaire, threatening the assistant with a knife, and later caused damage during a burglary on Baggot Street. The judge noted Stokes' addiction and history of adversity, and imposed a seven‑year sentence with the final 12 months suspended, to run consecutively with a prior three‑and‑a‑half‑year term. Patrick Stokes pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: On-bail criminal who attacked man on Boardwalk gets six years. Charges or matters: robbery in St Audoen's Park, Dublin 8, on October 11, 2021; assault causing harm on the boardwalk, Bachelor's Walk, Dublin 1 on September 21, 2021, robbery in Dun Laoghaire on June 8, 2022 and criminal damage on Baggot Street on June 13, 2022. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: At a previous hearing, the court heard that the homeless injured party in the first robbery made his way to Merchant's Quay because he wanted to buy drugs. Court evidence reported by CNI

Case subjects

Patrick Stokes

Defendant

Charges: robbery in St Audoen's Park, Dublin 8, on October 11, 2021; assault causing harm on the boardwalk, Bachelor's Walk, Dublin 1 on September 21, 2021, robbery in Dun Laoghaire on June 8, 2022 and criminal damage on Baggot Street on June 13, 2022 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Crowe, taking into account mitigation and the principles of proportionality, imposed an overall seven-year sentence with the final 12 months suspended to incentivise rehabilitation. This is to run consecutive to a three and a half year sentence imposed last month in Laois.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Incident
  • St Audoen's Park
  • Dublin
  • Westmoreland Street
Address Area
  • Baggot Street

Topics

Burglary Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report

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