Courts / Dublin / Report

22-year-old jailed for violent robbery of off-duty garda

Date
2025-11-03

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

A 22-year-old man has been sentenced to three years in custody at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the violent robbery of an off-duty garda in the Camden Road area on 22 January 2024. Evan Ward of Navan Road, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to the offence. CCTV footage presented at sentencing showed Ward and a juvenile accomplice attacking the garda in the early morning hours, with Ward delivering multiple punches to the victim's head before both assailants stole items including the garda's official identification badge, two passports, bank cards, mobile phones, and car keys. The victim was left unconscious on the ground. Ward admitted he was under the influence of cocaine at the time. He has 57 previous convictions. The court heard evidence of significant childhood mental health difficulties and recent diagnosis of schizophrenic spectrum disorder. The judge imposed a four-year sentence with the final year suspended on condition of continued psychiatric care. The juvenile co-accused received a deferred 22-month detention sentence earlier this year.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 22-year-old jailed for violent robbery of off-duty garda. Charges or matters: robbing the garda as he walked in the Camden Road area of Dublin on January 22, 2024. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

January 22, 2024 Incident
2025-11-03 Publication

Why: "On the Thursday before this, his parents left the house because he was having a psychotic episode and was on the roof," counsel explained. CNI source report

Case subjects

Evan Ward

Defendant

Charges: robbing the garda as he walked in the Camden Road area of Dublin on January 22, 2024 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Garda Monaghan previously told Ward's sentence hearing that his actions included 11 or 12 punches to the victim's head, but that his co-accused had delivered the kicks in his presence. Taking into account a recent diagnosis of schizophrenic spectrum disorder, the judge handed down a four- year sentence and suspended the final year on a number of conditions, including that Ward remain under psychiatric care.