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AN ARMED MAN who robbed his local service station while wearing tights on his head before threatening to stab an off-duty garda has been jailed for two years.
Ciaran O’Brien (37) then jumped into his car and drove straight at Garda PJ Cummins. The garda, who is one year from retirement, had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over.
O’Brien of St Patrick’s Park, Celbridge, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to robbing the Applegreen Service Station at Celbridge on 27 November 2019. He also pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill Garda PJ Cummins and dangerous driving at Laurel Grove, Celbridge.
Passing sentencing today at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Karen O’Connor said O’Brien was homeless at the time and known to gardaí, but was not known to be violent or aggressive.
Judge O’Connor said the offence was aggravated by O’Brien being armed and disguised during the robbery. She said the garda should not have been exposed to this kind of behaviour.
She sentenced O’Brien to three-and-a-half years imprisonment but suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on strict conditions including that he follow all directions of the Probation Service for 12 months.
At a previous sentencing hearing, Garda Daniel Lyons told Garrett McCormack BL, prosecuting, that O’Brien went into his local service station armed with a hammer and a knife, described in court as a “small machete”.
He ordered the shop assistant to open the till before he took €360 in cash and fled the scene.
Garda Cummins, who is due to retire next year, was off-duty at the time and witnessed the robbery. He recognised O’Brien from the local area and waited until he had left the service station before giving chase.
O’Brien threatened him several times, saying: “Get away from me or I’ll fucking stab you,” but Garda Cummins carried on chasing him until O’Brien got into a nearby car. O’Brien then drove the car straight at the garda, causing him to jump out of the way.
Garda Cummins managed to take down O’Brien’s car registration. He described himself as being “shocked at the level of violence” from O’Brien but he declined to make a victim impact statement.
O’Brien was arrested shortly afterwards. He has 27 previous convictions.
John Costello BL, defending, said his client was a drug addict who, at the time of the offence, was effectively homeless and living in shared accommodation with a number of other men.
He became addicted to heroin in the wake of a traumatic childhood and has been hospitalised a number of times for self-harming, the court heard.
Garda Lyons agreed with Costello that he had known O’Brien as an addict in the area but that it was most unlike him to act violently.
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It’s amazing the number of cafes, restaurants and pubs that still want people to wear masks when they arrive, leave and walk around. It’s time to get rid of all masks, everywhere, and stop worrying people unnecessarily. Covid is not a problem anymore. Irrational anxiety is.
@Neil Neart: It is amazing to me that you care if others wear a mask or not.
@Neil Neart: The fixation with those wearing masks is what I find irrational. It’s a complete non-issue to the vast majority of people yet there are some who seem upset and even offended if they see other people wearing them.
@Neil Neart: It is still a problem for many. There are still vulnerable people Covid poses a higher risk to. Some of these people may be able to avoid high risk places but not all can. They also have family members who work with the public and who are doing their best to try and avoid infecting them. Wearing masks in public places like shops and on transport is a minor inconvenience for people who are lucky enough to not have this worry and who can go anywhere and do anything with minor risk. It’s a small thing we can all do to try and help people who don’t have that luxury but who still need to use transport or shop. I think it’s pretty sad how selfish some people are when it comes to looking out for other people.
@Sarah Lou: if you read the sentence again, and take your time to read the HSE web site regarding masks, you’ll see that the amazement expressed is at that many hospitality locations require customers to wear masks when there is no obligation in law or in the guidelines to do so. In fact, every time I enter a hospitality premises I ask the staff if they want me to wear a mask and happily do so to keep them feeling safe even though there is no requirement to do so. But seriously, are we going to be a nation of nervous ninnies for ever?
@Neil Neart: Find a bin and get in.
Random comment alert. But is there anyone else feeling completely disillusioned with the whole things at the minute. Working 6 days a week just to get by, while others scam the welfare system. Costs of everything skyrocketing in every area. Irish people finding it next to impossible to buy a house or even afford rent at the minute. Cuckoo funds buying out entire estates to keep them out of reach. A health system that isn’t improving no matter how many billion they throw at it. Crime rates increasing, a courts system that is letting down victims every day with offenders with hundreds of convictions released on bail to offend again. Global warming, A global pandemic, the scourge of social media and trying to keep up with every woke movement that comes along on a weekly basis. Rant over.
@Dave Johnston: This might help. Hang in there. “Talk to Joe” by emailing us at any time joe@rte.ie. Call 0818 715 815 (lines open between 12.30pm – 3.15pm Monday to Friday). Alternatively you can ring us on 01 208 3263 or write to us at the following address: Liveline with Joe Duffy, RTE Radio Centre, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
@Dave Johnston: I think you need a holiday, you forget anything, how about the man who took your lollipop off you when you were 3?
@Happy: I do need a holiday. Just can’t afford one at the minute. Instead of silly comments about lollipops. How about a constructive debate about the state of affairs.
@Dave Johnston: don’t debate, master bate
@Dave Johnston: we’re y being done out of it a lot more by white collar criminals and life long politicians than by people ‘ scaming the welfare’ ,,, cronyism is rife in this country
@Dave Johnston: that’s called life, and life ain’t fair mate. I agree with what your sating and I’m trying to be empathetic but at the same time it’s life.
Unfortunately!
You’d suspect most folk would continue wearing them anyway in public settings with a lot of mixing.
@Eoin Roche: Why? Because they’re scared of something that’s not a problem anymore for the vast majority of people. It’s time to let everyone get this milder version and benefit from the immune system boost, on top of vaccines. The irrational anxiety has to stop sometime.
@Neil Neart: ah the old ‘let her rip’. Always been great public successful health policy around the World! But no, I was actually thinking more of how used to them people have become and that we’ll probably see a fair sprinkling of them on the likes of public transport and in busy shops in Winter for years to come. If we get back to fully normal this year, and hopefully we shall, it will mean flu and Norovirus and whatever is left of Covid will start circulating as they always did. If I’m on a stuffy sweaty 46A bus with 91 other people, I’ll be happy to use a mask if I have one, just like I’ve seen in Asian cities for decades.
@Eoin Roche: we need some bugs Eoin to give us immunity to help protect us from other bugs. The “Let ‘er rip” strategy with omicron is not the same as it would have been with delta or the others. This nation wide fear mongering has gone beyond its useful life and has to stop or we will have a lot of people ignoring public health advice next time out.
@Eoin Roche: Totally agree.
@Neil Neart: ah Neil evolution you just f… off.
They cannot continue with emergency measures after the emergency has passed. This will give ample fodder to conspiracy theorists and make rational people question the government motives if similar options are needed in the future. It has to move from a mandated rule to an advisory one outside of healthcare settings.
Its pointless having the antigens only for certain cohorts. People are booking PCR tests anyway regardless because they want to get the covid recovery certs for travel etc. You don’t get one if you report an antigen, its all a shambles.
@Carùl O’Hickey: I thought the HSE PCR Test couldn’t be used for travel (have to book a private one) or has that changed?
@John Rowan: You’re right John, they can’t.
@John Rowan:
You still get the QR code if you’ve tested positive
@John Rowan: Sorry I meant people are booking the PCR’s anyway so they can get recovery certs.
Interesting article about masks. Not being an expert I’ve no idea how valid the points raised are. I’m sure many might disagree with the analysis but it’s an interesting read nonetheless and it’s always good to hear different points of view – https://unherd.com/2022/02/were-masks-a-waste-of-time/
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