Dean Barry (then 16), of Garryglass Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston who was given a 9-year sentence and had 9 previous convictions.
– Jason Ring (then 14) of Crecora Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston who was sentenced 4 years – the maximum sentence allowed for someone of his age. He’ll spend the first year in Trinity House, Oberstown, before transferring to St. Patrick’s Young Offenders Institution.
– Darragh Ryan (then 16) of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect who received 8 years
– Thomas O’Neill (then 16), of Lenihan Avenue (incidentally, the same avenue that Wayne Dundon lived in), Prospect, was considered the ringleader and sentenced to 10 years. He had 35 previous convictions
Alive in Limerick gives a synopsis of the attack on a couple, and the subsequent gang-rape of a woman in Limerick which is back in the news because of the sentencing of Stephen Barry to 21 years in prison.
It's a horrifying incident. But looking at the past histories of those boys (men?), it's not exactly a huge step from where they were before to where they are now. But it's hard to imagine how people that young could have so many previous convictions. It's terribly sad to think of your brother or someone you know at the age of 14 or 16 having that kind of history and doing something so terrible and so life-destroying.
Thats my point NM. They were how old yet had all these priors (watching too many cop shows), and then went out and did something like this, on what seems to be impluse
Surely when a teenager reaches 35 convictions, someone must have a inkling that something is not quite right. Social workers? Police? Parents?
21 years in prison is probably the longest sentence I've heard for a rape as well.
That is shocking, but I seem to remember a 14 year old being sentenced for rape near where I live and also noticed that a boy of 10 was cought handing out class A pills to classmates at the junior school I used to go to. What the hell is going on in the world?!