Schoolboy mugging terror is revealed

A 23-year-old woman, who along with a male accomplice, tried to mug a schoolboy as he walked though a shopping centre car park to meet his mother, has been given a suspended eight-month sentence with strict conditions attached.

Judge Mary Fahy told Kim Barrett, with an address at 20 Hazel Park, Newcastle, who now resides at Osterley Lodge, Salthill, that she was not one bit grateful for evading a jail term.

A 14-year-old boy was walking through the Headford Road Shopping Centre car park at 4.20p.m. on November 14, 2013, when he was grabbed and assaulted by Barrett and a male accomplice.

The muggers tried to drag him behind some cars when he refused to hand over his rucksack, but he managed to fight them off and call security staff.  The boy’s mother and another person witnessed the attack.

Barrett and her accomplice fled the scene but she was later identified on CCTV and arrested.

Barrett also stole a €750 bicycle from Kearney Cycles on December 16,2013 but staff followed and apprehended her close by.

She pleaded guilty to assault, larceny and theft of the bicycle .

Barrett, the court was told, had several previous convictions for thefts, public order offences and one for assault, and had been given the benefit of the Probation Act for all of them going back over the years to 2009, when she first started offending.

Judge Fahy recalled the matter was before the court in November and she acceded to a request then for an adjournment so that Barrett could be assessed for addictions issues.

The probation officer, the judge recalled, gave evidence on January 14 last, stating Barrett had breached conditions of her bail and she was given one final chance to comply.  However the probation report handed into court this week was not good, the judge said.

Defence solicitor, Louise Gallagher said Barrett had stayed in Osterley Lodge as part of her bail conditions and she was now giving clear urine samples.

Judge Fahy said Barrett had been deemed unsuitable by the probation service for any type of residential treatment programme because of a lack of motivation to change.

“You are lucky not to be going to prison today.  You attacked a 14-year-old child.  You were with someone else and you attacked a child.

“You frightened him and you tried to rob him,” Judge Fahy said to Barrett.

Looking at Barrett’s demeanour, the judge said she didn’t think the accused was one bit grateful to be getting this chance.

Barrett assured her she was.

Judge Fahy then sentenced her to four months in prison for the assault and imposed a consecutive four-month sentence for the larceny.

A concurrent, three-month sentence was imposed for the theft of the bike which was recovered.

The judge suspended the sentences for two years on condition Barrett be of good behaviour; reside at Osterley Lodge; let the State know of any change of address within 24 hours; attend her counsellor and her medical appointments; and adhere to any programme put in place for her rehabilitation.