Daniel Leonard’s appeal against burglary, assault sentence dismissed

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Daniel Leonard’s appeal against his three-year sentence for theft, assault and burglary at a residential premises was dismissed by the Court of Appeal. The proceedings were reported on 14 February 2022.

He had pleaded guilty to the offences arising from a burglary at a residential premises on Chapel St, Dundalk, on 28 June 2020. He was sentenced at Trim Circuit Criminal Court in May by Judge Marina Baxter.

The appeal concerned the severity of the sentence. Defence lawyers cited Leonard’s personal circumstances, drug addiction, early guilty plea and rehabilitation; the prosecution pointed to a steel bar found in the house and a pen-knife he possessed when arrested. The court found no error in principle and dismissed the appeal.