Cork woman, 70, repelled armed teenage robber a year after serious surgery, court told

The judge imposed a sentence of three years with the last 18 months suspended. File photo

A 70-year-old woman who was proud of herself for the extent of her recovery from serious surgery felt well enough to get the bus from her home in Mayfield to Blarney — only to be attacked by a teenager who held a knife to her throat in an attempted robbery.

Twelve months after the surgery the elderly woman decided that on this particular day she would get the bus to Blarney and go for a walk but Ryan Banim of Lotamore Park, Mayfield, Cork, approached her and tried to rob her.

The 70-year-old protected herself and managed to disarm her attacker who fled with nothing.

She stated in her victim impact statement that a lot of people commented afterwards on how brave she was to grab her assailant’s knife from him but she said: “I was not brave. I was fighting for my life. It has left me as a person afraid and not trusting.” 

Her wish for the future was that Ryan Banim would not do this to another person and that he would reflect on the harm he had done.

Sentencing

Judge Helen Boyle said to Ryan Banim at Cork Circuit Criminal Court: “To your credit you have stayed out of trouble since this happened. Also to your credit you engaged in a victim empathy programme. 

“Unfortunately, you pulled back in August this year in your engagement with the probation service and restorative justice programme. Having made a good start you ceased to do so.

“(Defence barrister Jessica Kelleher) said you lost a friend around May this year. It does not excuse it. Unfortunately, you have not taken active steps to address your addiction which was the cause of you getting involved in this in the first place. At 20 you are still a young person.” 

The judge imposed a sentence of three years with the last 18 months suspended.