Courts / Dublin / Report

Victim says he's considering leaving Ireland after head stamped on during robbery

Date
2024-01-31

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Andrew Cash, 32, was sentenced to eight years in prison, with the final year suspended, after pleading guilty to multiple offences including theft, robbery, attempted robbery and assault causing harm. The court heard that between May and November 2020 he carried out a series of violent robberies across Dublin, most notably an attack in Crane Lane where he punched a victim, kicked him to the ground, stamped on his head and left him with a concussion, slipped discs and a minor brain bleed. CCTV footage showed Cash returning with two accomplices to repeat the assault. He also pleaded guilty to a robbery at a launderette and theft of a debit card and mobile phone from an unconscious man. The judge cited his 66 prior convictions, the violence used and the threat of knives as aggravating factors, while noting his guilty plea, homelessness and substance abuse as mitigating.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Victim says he's considering leaving Ireland after head stamped on during robbery. Charges or matters: attempted robbery and assault causing harm of a man coming home from a night out, leaving the victim unable to remember his own name and requiring hospitalisation; a sole count of robbery of a launderette on Dunville Avenue in Rathmines on October 21, 2020; theft on May 7, 2020, when he took a debit card and mobile phone from an unconscious man on Patrick Street, Dublin 8. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

November 9, 2020 Incident
September 15, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
October 21, 2020 Incident
May 7, 2020 Incident
2024-01-31 Publication

Why: Cash was arrested later that night for a separate robbery incident and was identified because he was still wearing the same clothes. CNI source report

Case subjects

Andrew Cash

Defendant

Charges: attempted robbery and assault causing harm of a man coming home from a night out, leaving the victim unable to remember his own name and requiring hospitalisation; a sole count of robbery of a launderette on Dunville Avenue in Rathmines on October 21, 2020; theft on May 7, 2020, when he took a debit card and mobile phone from an unconscious man on Patrick Street, Dublin 8 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She said "it's quite clear that from a very young age the accused has had a very difficult life." "At almost 33 years of age now, he does seem to be mindful that he needs to address his entrenched substance abuse issues and work towards recovery." Judge Codd said it was "an indictment of the State system" that someone could come through it without being offered appropriate counselling for the "very obvious trauma that has been visited on him." However, she said Cash was at an age where "he must find the strength in himself to take responsibility of his own mental welfare." Judge Codd sentenced