Teenage boy’s attempted murder appeal hearing concludes

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

A teenage boy’s attempted murder sentence appeal hearing concluded at the Court of Appeal on 28 July 2020, with judgment pending.

He had been sentenced to 11 years’ detention, with a review after five years, for attacking Stephanie Ng at the seafront on Queen’s Road, Dún Laoghaire.

The teenager had pleaded guilty to attempted murder after meeting Ms Ng through the Whisper social media app and attacking her with a knife.

The Director of Public Prosecutions argued that the sentence review was unduly lenient and had been set too early.

The Court of Appeal found that planning and premeditation placed the attempted murder at the high end of the spectrum.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.