Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6240Robbery, theft and assault · Co. Dublin

Teen, 16, sentenced over Facebook Marketplace robbery spree in Dublin

A 16-year-old boy, who was 15 at the time, arranged meetings with six people on Facebook Marketplace over five weeks in the year before sentencing, using a false name to buy top-of-the-range phones. He grabbed or snatched phones from several sellers across west Dublin, and on one occasion pulled a knife on a woman selling her iPhone 13, who was stabbed in the chest during a tussle. He pleaded guilty to assault, theft and robbery charges, and on 22 March 2024 Judge Shalom Binchy at the Dublin Children's Court sentenced him to nine months in custody followed by 12 months of post-release supervised probation.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced22 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • The 16-year-old pleaded guilty to assault, theft and robbery charges.
  • On February 7, he grabbed an iPhone 13 from a man arranging to sell it and ran off.
  • On March 3, he struggled with a man selling an iPhone, snatched it and fled.
  • He took an iPhone 12 from a man he had pretended to be interested in buying it, leaving that seller €800 out of pocket.
Cause
He arranged meetings with six people on Facebook Marketplace to buy top-of-the-range phones, repeatedly using a false name.
Weapon
He pulled a knife on a woman selling her iPhone 13, and she was stabbed in the chest during a tussle.
Other details
  • The woman needed eight stitches and had to take three days off work.
  • The woman crashed her car while fleeing, causing €2,000 damage.
  • A seller of an iPhone 14 suffered a €1,450 loss and injuries to his knees.
  • He had no previous convictions; the defence said he was genuinely remorseful, while a probation report said he had limited insight into the impact of his offending on the victims.
Where
The offences left a trail of victims around west Dublin.
When
He met his victims over five weeks in the year before sentencing, when he was 15 and smoking cannabis.
In court
Judge Shalom Binchy heard the case at the Dublin Children's Court.
Sentence
He received a nine-month custodial sentence, followed by 12 months of post-release supervised probation.
19 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe 16-year-old pleaded guilty to assault, theft and robbery charges. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOn February 7, he grabbed an iPhone 13 from a man arranging to sell it and ran off. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe woman was stabbed in the chest during a tussle. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatOn March 3, he struggled with a man selling an iPhone, snatched it and fled. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatHe took an iPhone 12 from a man he had pretended to be interested in buying it. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whereThe offences left a trail of victims around west Dublin. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whenHe met his victims over five weeks in the year before the sentencing. (irishmirror.ie)
  • causeHe arranged meetings with six people on Facebook Marketplace to buy top-of-the-range phones. (irishmirror.ie)
  • weaponHe pulled a knife on a woman selling her iPhone 13. (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtJudge Shalom Binchy heard the case at the Dublin Children's Court. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceHe received a nine-month custodial sentence. (irishmirror.ie)
  • sentenceHe was placed on post-release supervised probation for 12 months. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe woman needed eight stitches and had to take three days off work. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe woman crashed her car while fleeing, causing €2,000 damage. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA seller of an iPhone 14 suffered a €1,450 loss and injuries to his knees. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherAnother seller was left €800 out of pocket after he took his iPhone 12. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe teenager had no previous convictions. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe defence said the teen was genuinely remorseful. (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherA probation report said the boy had limited insight into the impact of his offending on the victims. (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 22 Mar2024
    Sentencedirishmirror.ie, first report
    Boy, 16, stabbed woman during Facebook Marketplace crime spree in Dublin

    Reports the sentencing of a 16-year-old for a series of phone robberies and thefts over five weeks, including the stabbing of a woman. Gives the sentence, probation terms, court and the victims' losses and injuries.

    convicted, 16, malevictim, malevictim, femalevictim, malevictim, malevictim, malevictim, male