Man jailed for robbery of American college student

By Eimear Dodd and Natasha Reid 

A man has been sentenced to three years in prison for the robbery of an American college student, who ended up injured on the ground after withdrawing money from an ATM. 

James Hawkins (24) of Ellis Quay Hostel, Ellis Quay, Dublin 7, had pleaded guilty to one count of robbery on February 21, 2023, at College Green in Dublin. 

At his sentence hearing in July, Garda Robert Kennedy told Jane Murphy BL, prosecuting, that the young American woman was studying at Trinity College and had gone to an ATM at around 6.30 pm. 

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the victim withdrew €200 and put it in her purse, which she placed in her pocket.

She next remembered being on the ground with a man standing over her and his hand in her pocket. 

Hawkins pulled at the victim’s pocket, ripped it and got her wallet.

The woman didn’t resist as she was scared that he might hurt her. 

Hawkins then ran off and was followed towards Grafton Street by some members of the public. 

The victim was left in a state of distress, with cuts to her knees and her tights torn.

Along with the €200 cash, her wallet contained her Trinity College identification card, her American identification card, debit and credit cards and another small amount of cash. 

Members of the public assisted her until gardai arrived.

She didn’t require treatment at a hospital. 

Gda Kennedy told the court that CCTV was obtained from Grafton Street, showing the direction in which Hawkins ran after the robbery. 

He was identified from the footage and arrested. Hawkins made full admissions when interviewed and identified himself on CCTV.

He said that while he was taking tablets at the time, he did recall taking the purse. 

He apologised and said it shouldn’t have happened. 

The court heard no victim impact statement was available as gardai have been unable to contact the victim recently.

It is believed she has returned to the United States. 

Hawkins has 76 previous convictions for all District Court matters, including theft and burglary.

He has been on remand in recent months, having served a sentence on an unrelated matter. 

Gda Kennedy agreed with defence counsel that Hawkins was homeless at the time of the offence and is known to have addiction issues. 

It was further accepted that he co-operated with gardai and entered an early guilty plea. 

The court was told Hawkins is originally from Tipperary, and his parents are deceased.

He had addiction issues to heroin and crack cocaine but is now clean. 

Counsel said his client wished to apologise to the court, gardai and the victim, handing in a letter of apology. 

 He said this is Hawkins’s first conviction for robbery and his first for violent offending.

Hawkins accepts he is facing a custodial sentence, but counsel asked the court for as much leniency as possible and to consider partly suspending any sentence imposed. 

Hawkins lost contact with his siblings due to his drug use but has reconnected with them while in custody.

He has an offer of accommodation with one of them and wishes to move back to Tipperary, re-engage with sport and work with a drugs counsellor. 

Upon his release, his client also has an offer of work from another family member. 

Judge Orla Crowe noted from a urine analysis report that the former addict is now negative of all drugs and that this was ‘entirely to his credit’. 

She described as an aggravating factor how frightening this must have been for a young woman standing at an ATM in the dark. 

Noting that the maximum sentence for robbery is life in prison, she imposed a three-year sentence.

However, she suspended the final six months for two years, putting him under probation service supervision for 12 months to provide him with a ‘structured return to society’. 

“The hope would be he’d be in a position to lead a law-abiding life,” she said. 

 Hawkins stood to enter the bond before being led away.