Courts / Ireland / Report
Teen's sentence for trying to murder woman 'too lenient', court finds
Summary
In a Court of Appeal hearing, the sentence of 11 years' detention imposed on a 15‑year‑old who attempted to murder a 25‑year‑old woman was found to be too lenient. The teenager, who met the victim on the Whisper app and pretended to be 19, lured her to an isolated spot on the Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire, where he choked her and slashed her neck with a knife. He was convicted in November 2019 and has been in custody since December 2017, with a review set for 1 January 2023. The Director of Public Prosecutions appealed on the grounds of 'unduly leniency', arguing that the five‑year review did not reflect the gravity of the offence. The Court of Appeal concluded that the sentence was inadequate and that the offence, with its planning and premeditation, should be seen at the high end of the attempted‑murder spectrum.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Teen's sentence for trying to murder woman 'too lenient', court finds. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- December 2017 Other
- November 2019 Other
- January 1, 2023 Other
- 2020-07-02 Publication
Why: The now 17-year-old, who cannot be named because he is a minor, has been in custody since December 2017, when he lured Stephanie Ng to an isolated area at the Sea Front, Queen's Road, Dun Laoghaire. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Outcome: The Court of Appeal has found that the sentence imposed on a teenager who tried to murder a woman he met on a dating app was too lenient. The DPP had argued that a review of the 11-year sentence imposed on the teenage boy after a five-year period was too early.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
- Queen's Road
Topics
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request