Courts / Dublin / Report

Hijacker who left infant lying face down on side of busy road gets eight years

Date
2025-05-19

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Francis Broughan, 47, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty to unlawfully seizing a vehicle in August 2022. Broughan, who had 56 prior convictions and was on bail, had earlier hijacked an octogenarian's car by holding an object to the driver's neck. He then stole a Skoda belonging to a mother and her 10‑month‑old baby, leaving the infant face down on the side of a busy road. The baby's seven‑year‑old brother ran to the family home to alert his mother. Paramedics checked the infant on scene and found no further medical need. The judge, Elva Duffy, noted the seriousness of the offence, the trauma to the victim and the vulnerability of the child, and imposed the eight‑year term. The court also heard Broughan's statements of remorse and his history of drug addiction. The sentence reflects the judge's concern over the harm caused and the offender's personal circumstances.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Hijacker who left infant lying face down on side of busy road gets eight years. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

August 2022 Incident
2025-05-19 Publication

Why: He told prosecution counsel, under cross-examination, that he took a trial date in order to prepare his defence. Prosecution account reported by CNI