Man with knife who tried to rob two teenage girls in Cork city jailed

TWO teenage girls ran to a chipper for safety when a man who was highly intoxicated pulled out a knife and tried to rob them.

Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, 36-year-old Stephen Hornibrook of Gurranabraher, Cork, has been jailed by Judge Helen Boyle for a period of three years and six months with the last six months suspended.

Judge Boyle said, “Both girls were out minding their own business and they should be able to walk in peace on the streets of Cork.

“You produced a knife and gave chase to them forcing them to take refuge in a chipper.” 

Detective Garda Mick Dolan said the attempted robbery of two teenage girls in Gurranabraher occurred on November 7, 2021.

The detective said Stephen Hornibrook left his home after 9 p.m. that night and saw the two teenage girls.

He produced a knife and tried to rob them of their handbags but they fled from him and got refuge in a nearby chipper.

In the course of the attempted robbery no property was handed over.

“He was detected from domestic CCTV and he was arrested some 800 metres from the scene. He was under the weather – highly intoxicated.

“I would say he had very little memory of the incident.

“The two girls – both teenagers, aged 16 and 17 – had no injuries. It was a very brief event. Both did not wish to attend court or make victim impact statements. They wanted to put the incident behind them.

“Stephen Hornibrook had 118 previous convictions stretching back to 2003. He is 36 years old and has 12 for burglary, five for robbery, 19 for criminal damage, four for weapons and 13 for theft. He has significant addiction problems.

Alison McCarthy defence barrister said, “He is very much engaging in his methadone treatment programme to get off heroin now.” 

She said that on the night of this attempted robbery he was highly intoxicated. He had been attempting to get off drugs himself by going cold turkey but had resorted to drugs on the night.

“He did apologise when he became aware of what he had done. He started taking drugs at 13 years of age – he could not deal with the death of his father,” Ms McCarthy BL said.

Judge Boyle said to the accused, “I hope you become a productive member of society. You cannot keep on going the way you are going.”