Robber fell as he made getaway when his trousers fell down

A robber whose trousers fell down revealing “colourful” boxer shorts as he was chased from a shop by two bread delivery men will be sentenced in July.

Daragh Brown (24), who was also wearing odd shoes at the time, was later arrested nearby due to the description of his clothes, including his boxer shorts, given to gardaí­ after the robbery.

Brown, of Allenton Avenue, Tallaght, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of cigarettes and making threats to kill the two bread delivery men at Old Bawn Shopping Centre, Tallaght on April 14th 2017.

Garda John Dalton told Karl Finnegan, prosecuting, that Brown entered the Centra shop armed with a knife just after 9am and demanded money from the tills. Staff described him making a “jabbing movement” towards them with the knife on three or four occasions.

After failing to get money, Brown fled from the shop with a quantity of John Player Blue cigarettes.

Brown was chased by two bread delivery men, Will Murray and Joe Daniel, who were stocking the shelves. Brown ran out into the car park but fell as his trousers came down revealing “colourful” boxer shorts.

Brown threatened the two men that he would stab them if they came near him. As they continued to follow him he threatened them again and told them that there were “ten lads” waiting in a nearby estate.

The court heard that as Brown ran into the estate, he began calling out names and the two men thought better of following him any further just in case. Gardaí­ arrived and were given a description of the robber by witnesses.

The description was circulated to garda units and he was stopped a short distance away at Allenton Avenue. Two packets of cigarettes were recovered from his person and the rest found in the shopping centre car park. The knife was also found nearby.

Brown has 29 previous convictions including public order offences, criminal damage and violent behaviour in a garda station.

Sarah Jane O’Callaghan SC, defending, said Brown had a history of alcohol and drug misuse. She said he suffered “blackouts” which led to him having no recollection of his crimes. She described him as being a “different person” when he had consumed drugs.

She said the sudden death of his father when he was 15 had a big effect on him and the aftermath had a huge destabilising effect on his life. He has been diagnosed with depression.

Ms O’Callaghan said Brown was now drug and alcohol free and had not come to garda attention since.

Judge Martin Nolan noted Brown's previous record and said he would defer sentencing until July 31st. He said the case was to be re-entered before him if there was any trouble.