Burglar who assaulted woman (97) has sentence increased

A recidivist burglar who assaulted and threatened to kill a 97-year-old woman in her home has had his six-year jail term increased by four years after a successful appeal by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

After gaining access to the victim’s home by offering to tidy her gardens, Paul McDonagh (43) held his hand over the elderly woman’s mouth with such force that it cut her lip and repeatedly told her he was going to kill her. He then fled with the woman’s purse.

In December 2011 McDonagh was sentenced to nine years with three years suspended by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to making threats to kill, assault of the woman causing harm and burglary of her home in Marino, Dublin on June 8th, 2010.

Chief Justice Susan Denham today said the Court of Criminal Appeal was of the view that the offence was of the "utmost gravity", and noted that McDonagh had 26 previous convictions for burglary and had served a 12-year sentence in the United Kingdom for a similar offence.

Counsel for McDonagh, Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, said that McDonagh, who is of no fixed abode but is originally from Salthill in Galway, came from the travelling community and had a "horrific life", being the subject of "horrendous physical and other forms of abuse".

Counsel said that McDonagh was also a “serial self-harmer” and was subject to a very difficult prison regime where he was under 23-hour lock-up due to security issues and was a “very isolated” prisoner.