A MAN described by a garda as having “notoriety attached to his name” has been given a four-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for trying to steal from a woman in the city two years ago.
Ronaldo Felloni (31), Tusker Rock, Custom House, IFSC, pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery of the woman on North Frederick Street on September 9th, 2009.
Judge Yvonne Murphy imposed a four-year sentence, suspending the last two years of it on condition that Felloni, a drug addict, enter a residential treatment centre on his release.
Judge Murphy noted that Felloni had “many convictions” and had been in the Circuit Court a number of times but that he entered a plea of guilty and saved the victim from coming to court.
She said there had been no injury or gain from the incident but that it was very frightening for the woman.
Garda Mark Deasy told Noel Devitt, prosecuting, that Felloni had 62 previous convictions going back to 1997, including five for robbery. He told the court the woman, a doctor, said she felt somebody wrench her handbag from behind and she started to scream.
Two men, including an off-duty garda who had been watching, intervened. The woman said she was afraid Felloni would produce a knife and she said she needed her mobile phone as she was on call. Garda Deasy said Felloni had no knife.
Felloni was arrested and taken to Fitzgibbon Street Garda station, where he was interviewed and made admissions. He told gardaí he needed money for heroin and said he was an addict since age 12.
Garda Deasy agreed with Michael Bowman, defending, that Felloni was “from a well-known family in the inner city” and “there was a certain notoriety attached to his name”.
Mr Bowman said in mitigation that Felloni was receiving help for his addiction and was on methadone.