Mum of four involved in mugging student in Louth

A mum of four who was involved in an Indian student being mugged as he returned home from work late at night, has been given a two year suspended sentence at Dundalk Circuit Court.

Amanda Boylan (36) with an address at the time at the Simon Community, Barrack Street, Dundalk pleaded guilty to robbery arising out of the incident, and three counts of theft were taken into consideration at the sentencing hearing.

The victim was cycling past four people on the pedestrian walkway between the Avenue Road and the Dublin Road in Dundalk on June first last year, when a man grabbed him around the neck and pulled him off the bike and told him to give him money “as they were hungry”.

The defendant and another woman tried to pull his bag off his back and rummaged through it.

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His ATM and Leap cards were stolen along with a quantity of Indian Rupees and he got notifications on his phone of a payment through his AIB card at a nearby kebab shop and at Pizzahut.

The defendant, who had nine previous convictions including three for theft, told gardai she had spent the day drinking and taking illicit substances and they had been on their way to a friend's house when the robbery happened.

Originally from Dublin, she's been living in emergency homeless accommodation being provided in a local B & B, but has accepted an offer of a house from Louth County Council.

The court heard she had a traumatic childhood and at the time had recently lost her mother and partner.

She has stopped drinking and is on a methadone treatment programme. Judge Dara Hayes, in imposing the suspended sentence, said while her two co-accused had received custodial sentences, Ms Boylan had been in a better place, before having a relapse.

He added she has taken great steps in her rehabilitation since then and her life appears to be stabilising.