Suspended sentences for aggravated burglary and assault

An Athlone man who “put his best efforts behind his rehabilitation”, has had concurrent prison sentences of six years and three years completely suspended at Roscommon Circuit Court after successfully meeting what a judge referred to as “draconian” conditions.

Norman Dolan (38), with an address in Slí An Choiste, Athlone, pleaded guilty in June 2024 to aggravated burglary, assault causing harm and three counts of criminal damage following an incident at his former partner’s home in December 2023.

The court previously heard how, in the early hours of December 27, 2023, Mr Dolan arrived at his ex-partner’s house in Clonaghill, Taughnaconnell, Co Roscommon, where she was with her new partner and her brother.

While shouting for them to come out Mr Dolan caused extensive damage to two vehicles outside, smashing the windscreen, driver’s window and passenger window of one car, and the windscreen, rear window and back right window of the other.

A third criminal damage charge relates to the smashing of three downstairs windows, the front door, rear door and one internal door in the house.

Once he gained entry, Mr Dolan went upstairs and assaulted his former partner’s brother, causing him harm, before following the other two occupants of the house holding a knife and a hammer. Those implements were the subjects of the aggravated burglary charge on the indictment.

Judge Kenneth Connolly had indicated a headline sentence of eight years in prison for what he said was “a very significant incident”.

“The court set draconian conditions on the last occasion to demonstrate that, if he was to try to avoid a custodial sentence, he would have to put his best efforts behind his rehabilitation,” he said.

He noted that compensation had been paid to the injured parties as ordered by the court earlier this year. Mr Dolan has also taken part in a number of courses including anger management and community mental health programmes and a parenting course as he is the primary parent to his three children.

Furthermore, Mr Dolan was ordered to remain drug and alcohol free, and to provide frequent urinalysis reports, which he did and “the results are exceptional - he has been clean without a blip since the last occasion”, said Judge Connolly.

“If he had not complied in the manner in which he had, he would be going to prison today, but I’m going to leave it in his hands.”

With that, he imposed a sentence of six years for the aggravated burglary, which he suspended in full for a period of ten years. For the assault, he imposed a concurrent sentence of three years, which he again suspended in full for five years.

Conditions attached to those suspensions include separate €100 bonds to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for the ten year and five-year terms respectively, to continue engaging with community mental health services, and to remain of sober habits.

A 21-month sentence imposed for one of the criminal damage charges, taking the other charges into consideration, was commuted to 240 hours of community service, to be completed within one year.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme