Michael Delaney jailed for hijacking and assault after appeal

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

Michael Delaney was resentenced by the Court of Appeal on 26 January 2023 to seven years for unlawful seizure of a vehicle, assault causing harm and violent disorder, with the final 12 months suspended. The court was presided over by Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, who quashed the original sentence as unduly lenient. Delaney had also received concurrent four-month terms for dangerous driving, driving without insurance, driving without a licence and failing to supply gardaí with a urine specimen.

The five-year hijacking term and three-year assault term were to run concurrently, but consecutively to 12 months for violent disorder. Delaney pleaded guilty to the unlawful seizure, assault causing harm and violent disorder charges; the sources do not give the plea date. He was originally sentenced at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court in June 2022 for the incident in Kilmeaden on 21 June 2021, and was disqualified from driving when the offences occurred.

For the defence, Paul Hutchison BL said Delaney’s co-accused did most of the damage during the driving around Kilmeaden. The defence also said there had been no repeat assault, about €7,000 had been paid in compensation and Delaney was remorseful. The proceedings were reported on 26 January 2023.