This article is from page 2 of the 2014-11-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 2 JPG
A TEENAGER who robbed a handbag from a female pensioner in Shannon has been spared a criminal conviction.
At Ennis Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, Judge Carroll Moran applied the Probation Act in respect of the 17 year-old after being told of the teenager’s clean record and “excellent engagement” with the Probation Services. An 18 year-old man, who admitted a charge of handling stolen property, also received the benef t of the Probation Act. The charges arose following an incident at Tullyvarraga Hill, Shannon on July 9, 2012.
At a sentencing hearing in March, Detective Garda Roddy Burke of Shannon Garda Station told prosecuting counsel Stephen Coughlan BL, that an elderly woman was walking on a private footpath when the then 16 year-old came up behind her and snatched her handbag.
The woman gave chase but slipped on a step and fell. She was hospitalised for eight days and treated for a cracked pelvis and chipped hip.
A then 16 year-old pleaded guilty to robbing the woman’s handbag, con- taining € 45. A then 17-year-old boy, with no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to handling stolen property.
Final sentencing in the case was adjourned to allow for the preparation of reports from the Probation Services. Neither of the accused have any previous convictions.
Judge Carroll Moran said, “This was a serious matter. The injured party was 73 years-old at the time and was targeted in a handbag snatch”. He said the woman showed “great fortitude” in giving chase to the accused. He said the targeting of elderly people is a serious matter, that in normal circumstances would warrant serious punishment.
But Judge Moran noted from the report that there had been an “excellent engagement” from the now 17-yearold with the Probation Services.
He said the services are of the view the accused will not offend again.
Judge Moran said he did not want to criminalise this young man anymore than he had to. Neither accused has come to Garda attention since the incident. He applied the Probation Act in respect of both teenagers and. Both accused entered into bonds to be of good behaviour.