A heroin addict who broke a Spanish student's leg in three places while trying to rob her bag has been given a five-year suspended sentence by Judge Elizabeth Dunne at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Francis Canning ran over the 16-year-old with his motorbike while a crowd wrestled with his co-accused. Gardai believe the student may have a permanent limp.
Canning (21), of Carnlough Road, Cabra West, Dublin, admitted attempted robbery and dangerous driving at Leinster Road, Dublin, on September 30th, 1997.
Garda Mark Collender said Canning drove a motorbike close to the student and his co-accused grabbed her bag. She resisted and shouted for help. A crowd gathered and some people held Canning's co-accused. Canning turned his motorbike and ploughed into them, hitting the Spanish student.
Mr Luigi Rea BL, defending, said Canning had considered the crime to be a watershed and has since got a job and remained off heroin. Judge Dunne noted that Canning was close to the detoxification stage in a rehabilitation programme and had shown remorse. She bound him to the peace for three years and ordered that he remain under the supervision of the probation services for one year.