Courts / Wicklow / Report

Armed raider who claimed he was acting under duress has jail time cut

Date
2024-12-16
Stage
Appeal
Primary locality
Wicklow
County
Wicklow

Summary

Peter Sheeran, aged 33, was convicted of robbery after he used a bread‑knife to steal €1,000 from Murphy's Gala store in Kilanerin on 17 June 2023. He left his two‑year‑old and seven‑year‑old children in a car while he carried out the robbery and was apprehended shortly after by passers‑by. Sheeran pleaded guilty at Wexford Circuit Court in December 2023, where Judge Cormac Quinn imposed a five‑year sentence with the final year suspended. In November 2024 he appealed, arguing that the sentence was too harsh because he had no prior convictions, was acting under duress and the offence was not pre‑meditated. The Court of Appeal, hearing the case on 16 December 2024, found that the original judge had erred by setting an eight‑year headline sentence. The appeal was granted, and the Court of Appeal quashed the original sentence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Armed raider who claimed he was acting under duress has jail time cut. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Court of Appeal
  • Wexford
  • Wexford Circuit Court
Secondary Mention
Facility

Topics

Stage Appeal Theft

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