A Castleisland man has been handed a four-year prison sentence for what the judge described as violent and nasty crimes.
24-year-old Michael Prendiville, of An Caisleán Mór, Castleisland, was sentenced at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court by Judge Ronan Munro.
He admitted to a robbery in Tralee in August 2023, and a violent attack on a man in his home in April 2024, both of which were committed while he was serving a suspended sentence for a stabbing incident.
On 26th August 2023, Mr Prendiville followed a young man from outside a takeaway in Tralee to Walpole Lane, where he kicked and punched the man, before robbing his food and money.
The man suffered significant injuries and had to quit his job after this attack.
Separately, Mr Prendiville committed a violent assault on a man in his own home, after meeting on a dating website.
Judge Munro said it was clear that Mr Prendiville, who has a chronic alcohol addiction, was only interested in getting drink.
He then got violent and punched the man a few times, but this man fought back.
Mr Prendiville then armed himself with two kitchen knives, but the man managed to disarm him, suffering a small shoulder wound in the process.
He gave Mr Prendiville a bottle of vodka and managed to talk him down.
Judge Munro said these were disturbing incidents with very little explanation, and he described Mr Prendiville’s assertion he doesn’t remember these things as a cop out.
Judge Munro said lots of people have drink problems and they don’t do these things.
His defence barrister Katie O’Connell, instructed by solicitor Eimear Griffin, submitted he has excelled while in custody in prison and has completed courses, and he is somebody who needs light at the end of the tunnel.
Judge Munro noted Mr Prendiville committed these offences while serving a suspended sentence for a stabbing incident, and he is at very high risk of re-offending.
He re-activated one year of that two-year suspended sentence, added on two years for the robbery of the man on Walpole Lane, and another two and a half years for the assault causing harm after the supposed date.
Judge Munro suspended 18 months of this on conditions including he abstains from alcohol, meaning he is to serve four years in total, backdated to when he first went into custody last September.
