Mentally unwell stalker jailed after grabbing woman in alley
A young man who had absconded from a mental health facility when he stalked and falsely imprisoned a grind school acquaintance has been jailed for two years.
Alexander Crowley (21), who has an address in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, was “labouring under a very serious misapprehension” that he was in a relationship with the victim, his defending counsel, Geradine Small SC, said.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of false imprisonment, contrary to Section 15 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, and to a charge of stalking, contrary to the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023.
Judge Orla Crowe said that the incident was a “deeply frightening and upsetting experience” for the victim, the courage of whom the court commended, noting her “poise and her dignity and her courage” while delivering her victim impact statement last week.
When evidence of the incident was presented last week, the court heard that the victim knew Crowley from a grind school, but that they were not friends and had only a “passing acquaintance”.
When the victim started work at a supermarket, she said that the accused came in and asked if she wanted to have a coffee with him, to which she responded, “No, I’m very busy.”
On a different date, Crowley came to the shop three times in one day and was observed walking around and looking at the victim, prosecuting counsel John P. Gallagher said. The court heard that this behaviour was noticed by other members of staff who were in agreement that Corwley was coming in with the intention of seeing the victim.
On the 22nd of June 2024, he came into the shop again, this time with a bunch of flowers, which the victim accepted because she “didn’t know what else to do.”
When she asked, “Are you giving them to me?”, Crowley answered,” Yeah, I like you,” which prompted the victim to say, “Like, as friends.”
When she went home that evening, she sent a message via Instagram telling Crowley, “Thanks for the flowers. I won’t be meeting you as I have a boyfriend, better off as friends”
A short time later, when the accused tried to call her on the app, she declined and blocked him. Mr Gallagher said that Crowley had asked mutual acquaintances to persuade the injured party to unblock him, but had been strongly advised that she was not interested in him.
On the 30th of August 2024, she had returned to work after a period of being on holiday and was planning to have a few drinks with some colleagues after the shop closed at 10 pm. At this time, she believed that Crowley was in a mental health facility receiving treatment, she said in her victim impact statement.
CCTV footage played to the court showed Crowley, who had escaped from the facility, waiting for her in an alley beside the supermarket, all dressed in black and with his hood up.
Garda Dylan Carey agreed with Mr Gallagher that the accused had waited in the alleyway for about 10-15 minutes before the victim left work.
When the victim, still dressed in her staff top, attempted to take a wide berth of the figure in the alleyway, Crowley lunged at her, and as she attempted to run away, he caught her and held onto her.
The court heard that her arms were pinned at her sides, but she managed to break free by ducking down and using her elbows. When Crowley, who is over 6ft tall, grabbed her again, he put one hand over her mouth to silence her, as she had been screaming for help.
Mr Gallagher explained that the victim’s co-workers heard her screams and came into the alley a few seconds later, with the struggle ongoing, causing the accused to run off.
Judge Orla Crowe heard that the victim was “upset, crying, in shock, and in fear of her life” and that she could hear him “giggling at the time” and said her name.
Geradine Small SC argued that her client has a “considerable psychiatric background” and has a “significant addiction history” to “cannabis and drink”. He lives with his mother and father, who were in court, and is part of “a very good family.”
Ms Small said that the victim was “totally blameless” and had made it clear to Crowley that she was not interested in him before her “horrific ordeal”. She said that he was
He was an inpatient at a psychiatric hospital from the 21st of August 2024, but absconded and was returned to the facility on the 28th of August by Gardaí before escaping again on the day of the incident, the court heard.
The victim, who was supported by her parents in court, aking the witness stand to deliver her victim impact statement, said that the accused had come into the shop “several times a day” and that it was “clear” this was “just to watch me”.
She described having to “escape to an upstairs office” and that her parents had escorted her to and from work.
At times becoming tearful, she said that the assault on her was “planned and targeted” and that she feared for her life and “believed that he would kill me”.
Describing how her co-workers heard her screams, she said, “This is something I never thought would have happened to me,” and that it’s something that can’t be understood “unless it happens to you”.
She said she no longer socialises in that area because she knows that Crowley lives there.
The young woman said she lives “in fear” and is “constantly aware” of her surroundings.
“This has made my world much smaller,” she said, describing how, at 19, she was gaining a sense of “independence” when the assault took place.
She described “nightmares and intrusive memories” because of “something so terrifying” that could happen to her when she “least expected it”, and fear that it could happen again.
Ms Small argued that Crowley, who the court heard is now responding well to a new course of treatment, was “acutely unwell” at the time and is “deeply sorry for the trouble he caused” and is committed to never repeating his actions.
Judge Crowe noted a letter from the parents of the accused, whom she commended for the “serious manner” in which they have dealt with the matter, which described their son’s “unremarkable” early life before he started to abuse alcohol and drugs in his late teens.
She said that the latter made for “very sad reading”, as it outlined the accused’s mental health history, noting that this had escalated from “drug-induced psychoses to schizophrenia”.
A specialist report submitted to the court recorded the accused’s “significant history of substance abuse”, which has had a detrimental effect on his mental health.
The court also noted “how much taller” he was than the injured party, saying that the assault was “calculated and deliberate” as he had “waited for her”.
Judge Crowe noted that there was “no special verdict” but that the court would take into consideration that the accused was severely unwell at the time.
“This is a very sad case because it involves a very young victim and a very young offender,” she said. The court also noted that Crowley’s condition has stabilised significantly on his new regime of medication and sobriety.
Noting the decision of DPP vs MR, the court set a headline sentence of four years before reducing this to three years. The final 12 months are to be suspended for a period of two years on condition that the accused takes his medication, engages with the probation service, and agrees not to contact the victim in any manner for a period of 10 years.
