A THUG who carried out a vicious carjacking of a woman and a 160kph road “rampage” while out on bail for assault has been jailed for eight-and-a-half years.
Dylan Poynton, 27, pleaded guilty at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to another man.
The incident took place at an apartment in River Village Athlone, Co Westmeath on October 13, 2022.
The court heard today that dad-of-four Poynton, of Castlegrove, Castlepollard, was intoxicated in his partner’s home and attacked the man by striking him with a bottle.
He followed up by kicking him in the head, “stamping on his face” as he was defenceless.
The victim suffered a fractured skull and needed urgent medical attention, but made a full recovery.
Poynton also admitted violently hijacking a woman’s car, dangerous driving and criminal damage on November 14 last year, while out on bail for the earlier assault.
The violent car seizure, described as a “suicide mission”, was carried out by Poynton and his accomplice, David Marshall, 21, from Newtown Lawns, Mullingar.
The pair filmed each other driving in Snapchat posts.
The jobless duo, who never worked consistently and have had drink and drug problems since their early teens, had been “off their heads” at the time.
Dad-of-two Marshall was handed a seven-year sentence in April.
Detective Garda Conor Murphy told the court that the victim had driven into a car park near Athlone rail station just after 7am to get a train to Dublin for work.
‘GET OUT’
However, two men in balaclava masks opened the front doors of her Nissan Micra, shouting “get out”.
Poynton grabbed her and pulled her out, screaming.
She tried to get the car keys but was pushed and fell to the ground.
She has suffered anxiety, panic attacks, “depression and PTSD” since then, attends counselling and was at a loss of €6,500.
PRIOR CONVICTIONS
Poynton’s 24 prior convictions included drugs and assault offences as well as dangerous driving and he had a two-year road ban already.
In tears, the victim opened up in court and revealed how she held down two jobs and had bought the car and a house, but she no longer drives in the dark and has lost her independence.
The pair took turns driving her car and filmed each other for a series of Snapchat posts, laughing and jeering while blaring music as they sped along the M4 to Dublin.
One video played in court showed the driver holding a beer bottle, and another clip focused on the speedometer at 160kmh.
‘SUICIDE MISSION’
The Micra crashed into the wall of a house in Lucan, Co Dublin, causing €2,500 damage to the property.
Judge Johnson branded the pair’s actions as despicable and said the footage showed a rampage and the worst incidents of dangerous driving he had ever seen.
The two men seemed as if they were on a “suicide mission”, and it was a miracle they did not cause carnage during the drive, he remarked.
Their phones were found in the car, and gardai later unlocked them to recover their Snapchat videos.
IMPOSED SENTENCES
Andrew Callan BL told the sentence hearing today that Poynton began abusing cannabis from the age of 11 and then moved onto ecstasy and cocaine addiction while working occasionally in a family business providing marquees.
However, he was welcome to return to living with his mother and working with his father upon release.
Today, Judge Johnson imposed consecutive three and seven-year sentences, but suspended the final 18 months.
Judge Johnson warned Poynton, who showed no emotion during the hearing, that following his release he must refrain from using alcohol and illicit drugs, remain on supervised probation, engage in addiction treatment and not reoffend for five years.
Otherwise, the suspended portion of the sentence would be activated.
