Courts / Louth / Report
Jail term increased for hammer attacker who left 'Good Samaritan' grandmother blind in one eye
Summary
A violent criminal, Gerard Stokes, who carried out a three-hour hammer attack on a 'Good Samaritan' grandmother, leaving her blind in one eye after tying her up and threatening to kill her, had his jail sentence increased by two years following a successful appeal by the State. Stokes and his co-accused, Samantha Campbell, were convicted of inflicting what a judge described as a 'punishment beating' on the woman over alleged missing drugs. The Court of Appeal found that Stokes' 13-and-a-half-year jail term, with two years suspended, was unduly lenient and resentenced him to 14-and-a-half-years, with one year suspended. However, the court ruled that Campbell's ten-year sentence was not too lenient. The court heard the victim lost an eye in the attack and now uses a prosthesis. The judge noted that both defendants 'participated willingly' in the attack and the jury accepted that this was joint enterprise.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail term increased for hammer attacker who left 'Good Samaritan' grandmother blind in one eye. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- February 2024 Incident
- December 5, 2018 Incident
- 2026-06-16 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Outcome: It also dismissed the mother of seven's appeal against the severity of her sentence, finding that she was "an instigator and enthusiastic participant" in the attacks and was not "subjugated" by Stokes.
Appellant
Outcome: The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a review of the sentences on the grounds that they were unduly lenient, while Campbell had cross-appealed the severity of her own term of imprisonment. Judge Dara Hayes jailed Stokes for 13-and-a-half-year with two years suspended, while Campbell received a 12-year term, with two years suspended.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Dundalk
- Dundalk Circuit Court
- Dundalk
- Waterville
- Waterville Crescent
Topics
Drugs Stage Appeal Violent Crime
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