A Judge has slammed a man who used his girlfriend as part of a ‘honeytrap’ to lure and mug a 15-year-old boy.
Thomas Mongan ordered his girlfriend to contact the innocent boy to pretend their relationship was over.
He ordered the girl to tell the teenager that they had broken up and that she was single.
When the boy turned up to meet the girl outside a local school in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, he was jumped on by up to four young men including Mongan.
The terrified teenager was punched in the eye and had his phone worth €500 stolen by the gang.
When the victim ran away, Mongan, of 13 Taobh An Sruthain, Buncrana shouted after him “The next time you’re getting stabbed.”
Mongan, now aged 21, pleaded guilty to the attack at Glencar, Letterkenny on November 23rd, 2014.
The following month, on December 23, the young victim was in the local Courtyard Shopping Centre, Letterkenny, when he was again approached by the accused.
Mongan had heard the young boy and his mother had made a complaint to Gardai and the thug warned him he would “slit his throat” if he didn’t withdraw his statement.
The defendant’s solicitor, Patsy Gallagher, told Letterkenny District Court that there was a very favourable probation report for Mongan who was charged with robbery and assault.
He admitted that Mongan was battling an addiction to alcohol and was now living with his grandparents.
He said his client had now compensated the boy for the loss of his phone and had also paid him €500 in compensation for the attack.
He said Mongan is now trying to get on with his life and has the offer of work in Dublin.
The court heard that the injured teenager is from Letterkenny and is currently a student in Galway.
Judge Paul Kelly said he had read the victim impact statement which detailed the physical, financial and emotional impact the unprovoked attack had on him.
He said he had no option but to treat this case with the severity is deserved.
He said “This was a planned, premeditated, violent assault on an innocent young man. It was a terrifying experience for him.”
He sentenced Mongan to four month’s imprisonment, suspended for a period of one year on his own bond of €250 and warned him to be of good behaviour.