Teens sentenced for car theft and attack

Three teenagers robbed a man of his car keys when he was on his way to midnight mass on Christmas Eve and returned to attack him to find out where his car was parked, a court has heard.

Keith Allen, (aged 20), of Croftwood Green, Ballyfermot, Stephen O' Reilly, (aged 19), of Kilworth Road, Drimnagh and Jason O'Toole, (aged 19), of O'Hogan Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty to assault causing the man harm, robbery and unlawful taking of his car near Christchurch, Dublin 8, on December 24, 2005.

They were sentenced to four years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after Judge Katherine Delahunt heard that the man lay on the pavement for 90 minutes before he was discovered and brought to James's Hospital where he was found to have a fractured eye socket that required surgery to prevent him loosing the sight in it.

O'Toole also pleaded guilty to robbery of a MP3 player from the person and robbery of a shop on September 26, 2005. He received a consecutive two year sentence to the four year term as he was on bail for these robberies when he committed the one on Christmas Eve.

Judge Delahunt said she was satisfied that while all three were involved in the robbery, O'Toole caused the injuries on the second attack. The man was left with a lacerated ear, face fractures, a broken nose, fractured ribs and chest injuries in addition to his eye injuries.

She accepted that all three made full admissions and co-operated with gardaí and while they were under the influence of alcohol and pills at the time they have all made efforts to rehabilitate and come off drugs.

Judge Delahunt suspended the last 12 months of O'Reilly's sentence after taking into account that he had shown remorse for his actions and had a problem with drink at the time.

Allen had the last 15 months of his sentence suspended and O'Toole had the last 12 months of his sentence suspended and backdated to March 2006 when he was first remanded in custody for the offence.

Garda Dave Houlahan told Mr Pieter Le Vert BL, prosecuting, that the victim was walking to midnight mass on Christmas eve when O'Toole, O'Reilly and Allen, approached him and threw punches and kicks at him, knocking him to the ground, before they left with his car keys, watch and wallet.

They used the beeper on the key ring to try and find the car but were unsuccessful and returned to the victim where O'Toole kicked him again until he told the robbers where the car was parked.

The three then made off in the car but were stopped by Garda Fiona Lee, who recognised them and knew they didn't own car.

They were immediately arrested when she noticed their clothes were blood stained and taken to the garda station for question.

Gda Houlahan said that O'Toole had 13 previous convictions, O'Reilly had 10 and Allen had six. All three had never been before the Circuit Court.