A homeless woman who slashed the face, head and body of another homeless woman with a broken glass bottle has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that at 3.20 am on September 20, 2022, at a Spar on Dame Street in Dublin, an altercation between two homeless women took place. Julie Ann Stokes (43) of Booterstown Halting Site, Rock Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty to assault causing harm against another female and the production of a weapon at the above location and date.
Stokes has 212 previous convictions, including convictions for theft, assault, threats to kill, possession of a knife, misuse of drugs and public order offences.
Passing sentence today Judge Orla Crowe said this is a “very serious assault” with the injured party being “slashed to the face, head and torso 35 to 40 times”.
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Judge Crowe said, “The attack happened in a public place at night and was captured on CCTV.” She said the accused went and got “a large broken glass bottle with jagged edges”.
The judge said Stokes has a drug problem, and the probation report before the court was “not as favourable” as one would want. The report also highlighted that Stokes is at high risk of reoffending but that the Probation Service is willing to work with her in the future.
Letters were handed into the court outlining the progress that Stokes has made while in prison, which Judge Crowe said were “positive” and noted Stokes is “addressing her issues”.
Judge Crowe sentenced Stokes to two years and nine months in prison and suspended the final six months under strict conditions. Stokes must also remain under the supervision of the Probation Service and carry out all actions as directed by them. The judge backdated this sentence to September 2022, when Stokes went into custody on this matter.
Garda Sean Gordon told Derek Cooney, BL, prosecuting, that gardai were called when two women got into a heated argument in the doorway of the Spar shop. Stokes grabbed the injured party, who kicked out to defend herself. The injured party was then chased into the shop by Stokes.
Gda Gordon said Stokes left the shop but returned about 40 seconds later holding a large broken glass bottle with jagged edges. Stokes chased the woman into a corner of the shop and struck her with the bottle between 35 to 40 times in the face, head and torso. Stokes then left the shop.
The court heard that gardai and paramedics arrived, but the injured party refused to go to hospital. She had slashes to the face and upper body and was bleeding. CCTV was obtained, and Stokes was identified. Both Stokes and the injured party were homeless, and they knew each other.
The injured party did not wish to make a victim impact statement and did not cooperate with gardai. Gda Gordon agreed with Luigi Rea, BL, defending, that the guilty plea by his client was beneficial and that his client “needs to deal with her addictions”.
The garda agreed with counsel that Stokes had drug addiction problems, and her drug of choice was crack cocaine. Mr Rea said his client is taking steps to address her alcohol and drug abuse and handed documents into court to support this.
Counsel said his client is a 43-year-old woman who once lived in a caravan beside her father. Her father has been unable to maintain the caravan for his daughter, but she hopes to resume this living arrangement in the future. He asked the court to take into account the positive steps his client has taken while in custody.
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