Suspended sentence reactivated against Waterford man who attempted to rob woman with knife
Daniel English (29) had his suspended sentence activated.
A Waterford man has returned to prison for failing to abide by the terms of a suspended sentence.
Daniel English (29), of no fixed abode, appeared in Waterford Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Eugene O'Kelly for a Section 99 re-entry.
He had previously received a partially suspended prison term for attempting to rob a young woman.
On April 10, 2020, English attempted to rob a young woman on Paddy Browne's Road, Waterford City. He was charged in Waterford District Court with attempted robbery and use of a green-handled Stanley blade contrary to Section 11 of the Offensive Weapons Act.
The matter was sent forward to the Circuit Court and on January 12, 2023, English received a four and a half year sentence for the offence of attempted robbery. The final 18 months of the term were suspended and he was ordered to follow all directions of the Probation Services and to attend Treo Port Lairge CLG.
Probation officer Andrea Bourke attended court this week to outline English's irregular attendance since his release from prison.
His attendance was described as "sporadic" and revealed disengagement with probation services. Ms. Bourke said that he presented at a "high-risk" of re-offending and kept anti-social habits.
At one point, he told his officer that he had moved to New Ross but "never produced a Wexford address", according to Ms. Bourke.
Defence counsel Tom Giles Kelly BL told the court that "personal difficulties" inhibited his client's ability to regularly attend probation meetings. Mr. Kelly asked the judge for one more opportunity for English, citing a change in his "mindset".
Judge O'Kelly rejected the application and reactivated 12 months of the suspended sentence. He said: "What concerns me is the evidence of Ms. Bourke.
"He was given numerous opportunities to re-engage with both Treo and the Probation Services. There's a pattern I find worrying: compliance for a short period and disengage over time."
Judge O'Kelly further commented: "The message has to go out that if people are given suspended sentences, if they don't comply with those conditions they will go back to prison."
