Man who attacked and robbed DCU student jailed for three years

One of two men who attacked and robbed a first-year student on a university campus has been handed a three-year jail term.

Alan Giles (30) of Glasanaon Road, Finglas, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at DCU Glasnevin campus on February 9th, 2021. Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Melanie Greally said the robbery involved a “considerable danger of violence” and resulted in injuries to the victim.

At a previous hearing the court heard that two men had attacked the student as he was returning from a shop to his on-campus accommodation. The victim was punched in the face and kicked in the body during the robbery. The men stole his phone and several cards, then left the scene.

Giles has 28 previous convictions, including for possession of drugs and theft. Refusing a defence application to give Giles more time to engage with Probation Services, Judge Greally noted his engagement with the service has been inconsistent in the past. She said Giles had not submitted urine samples for analysis since November 2021, and had not completed community service hours.

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Judge Greally handed Giles a five-year sentence, suspending the final two years on condition that he enter a bond to keep the peace for two years.

Oisin Clarke, defending, said Giles is working, but did not have any proof of employment to provide to the court. He said Giles had played the lesser role in the violence during the robbery. A sum of €1,000 had also been handed over as compensation to the victim.

Mr Clarke said Giles had been highly intoxicated at the time of the incident and had not recently come to the attention of gardaí. He told Judge Greally that the co-accused, who had no previous convictions, had received a fully suspended five-year sentence for his involvement in this incident.

Judge Greally said she could not fully suspend the sentence in light of Giles’ previous convictions and the incomplete steps he had taken towards rehabilitation. She added that the violent nature of the robbery required a custodial sentence, and all mitigating factors including Giles’ remorse and the role of addiction in his offending had been taken into account.

She backdated the sentence to the date Giles entered custody and ordered Giles to remain under the supervision of the Probation Services for 12 months upon his release.