Courts / Dublin / Report

Combined 10 years for Romanian ram-raid crime gang members

Date
2024-12-11

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin City

County
Dublin

Summary

Two members of a Romanian organised crime gang were sentenced to a combined ten years in prison for a series of vehicle‑ram raids on commercial premises in July 2023. The men, Ricardo Stancu (19), Daniel Murgea (31) and Ionut Leonard Petriu (38), were arrested during Garda Operation 'Docht' and pleaded guilty to burglary, criminal damage and organised crime offences. Stancu received five years with the final 12 months suspended; Murgea was sentenced to six years after a headline of eight years was considered, taking into account his prior convictions in France and Italy. Petriu, who pleaded guilty to assisting the group, was placed on bail and his case was adjourned to March 20 for a probation report. The court described the offences as highly organised, with extensive damage to three unoccupied commercial premises and no items stolen.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Combined 10 years for Romanian ram-raid crime gang members. Charges or matters: burglary, criminal damage and organised crime offences; assisting the group and his culpability was the lowest of the three, the court heard. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 3 Incident
March 20 Adjournment
July 3, 2023 Other
July 4 Incident
October 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
2024-12-11 Publication

Why: The gang left with nothing because the mobile phones were kept in a safe. CNI source report

Case subjects

Daniel Murgea

Accused

Charges: burglary, criminal damage and organised crime offences; assisting the group and his culpability was the lowest of the three, the court heard (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Crowe said a headline sentence of eight years in prison was warranted for Murgea before she imposed a sentence of six years having taken into account his "significant history of dishonesty" – referring to Murgea's previous convictions in both France and Italy for offences involving theft.; She adjourned his case to March 20 next and ordered the preparation of a probation report for that hearing.

Ionut Leonard Petriu

Accused

Charges: burglary, criminal damage and organised crime offences; assisting the group and his culpability was the lowest of the three, the court heard (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She adjourned his case to March 20 next and ordered the preparation of a probation report for that hearing.

Ricardo Stancu

Accused

Charges: burglary, criminal damage and organised crime offences; assisting the group and his culpability was the lowest of the three, the court heard (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Orla Crowe today sentenced Stancu to five years in prison with the final 12 months suspended.; She adjourned his case to March 20 next and ordered the preparation of a probation report for that hearing.