Term cut for falsely imprisoning prostitutes

A man serving two prison sentences for robbing prostitutes has had an eight-year term cut to six on appeal.

Lithuanian national Gediminas Zigmantas, 35, of no fixed abode, had pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to false imprisonment and robbery at the Metropole Hotel, Cork, on September 10, 2014.

He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment by Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin on April 28, 2015.

Giving judgement in the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Garrett Sheehan said Zigmantas had engaged the services of the injured party “Sylvia” who was working as a prostitute at the time. When it was time for him to leave he let an accomplice into the room.

They tied her hands and feet, put a towel over her head and she was put into the bath, Mr Justice Sheehan said. They searched her room and found €4,000 in cash and other items.

Zigmantas had a previous conviction for robbing another escort in similar circumstances in Ennis for which he received a five-year term with 18 months suspended. He was serving this sentence when the eight-year term was imposed.

Judge Sheehan said the latter term was “somewhat excessive” when compared to sentences for similar offences from 2003 to 2013.

Mr Justice Sheehan said the appropriate headline sentence was eight years. Given the plea of guilty and progress Zigmantas was making in prison, the court mitigated that to six years.