Jailed for Two Years and a Half: Woman Found Guilty of Wilfully Violent Attacks in Dublin

A Dublin woman named Nikita Ronan has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a series of violent assaults that occurred in the city centre. Judge Elva Duffy ruled during a hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on January 28 that Ronan posed a danger to people on the streets due to her wilfully violent behavior.

The Incidents

Ronan’s string of attacks took place between March and May 2023 around the Dublin city centre. These incidents involved three separate assault cases.

In March, she and an accomplice followed a woman into the Morgan Hotel in Temple Bar. Ronan picked the woman up and slammed her to the ground after her friend had punched and kicked her. They fled the scene but were quickly arrested.

The second assault occurred on April 4, when Ronan attacked a friend she knew on Aston Quay. She attempted to rob the woman of her handbag before fleeing. The victim sustained cuts, scratches, a black eye, and jaw pain.

The final incident happened on May 3. Ronan grabbed a man’s phone at Merchant’s Quay, cut his arm with a knife, and then slashed his head when he attempted to pursue her. The victim required medical attention and stitches.

The Legal Case

Ronan pleaded guilty to one count of assault in the first incident, one count of assault causing harm in the second, and two counts of assault causing harm and stealing a phone in the third. The prosecutor, Derek Cooney BL, presented the details of each attack to the court.

In her defense, Karl Monahan BL explained Ronan’s background. According to her counsel, Ronan, who has only completed Junior Cert level education, started using cannabis at age 17. Her drug use escalated to crack cocaine and heroin during a ten-year relationship. Most of her assaults were under the influence of drugs.

The judge acknowledged Ronan’s history of substance abuse and her mother’s death from cancer in her early twenties. However, she noted that intoxication was no excuse for her violent actions and described them as “wilfully violent” and “unacceptable.”

Judgment and Sentence

Judge Duffy stated that Ronan was “a danger to others on the street on a number of occasions as a result of various intoxicants.” She then pronounced a two-and-a-half-year sentence, which included three years and two months, with the final eight months suspended on several conditions. Ronan expressed remorse for her actions and assured the court of her desire to get clean and find work with her father upon release.

During her time in custody, she is undergoing a methadone program.

Impact of the Case

The case highlights the severe consequences of violent behavior and drug addiction. Ronan’s attacks left multiple victims in need of medical care and hospitalization. Her arrest and sentencing send a clear message that violence, regardless of the influence of drugs, will not be tolerated by the law.

Community safety remains a priority, and law enforcement emphasized the importance of vigilance and reporting suspicious behavior.