Man charged with raid, threat to woman and van hijack says sorry

A 31-year-old man made a string of apologies when charged over a crime spree in Co Laois after a petrol station was raided, a woman’s life threatened, a gun fired and a van was hijacked.

Joseph Moore, with an address at Market Mews, Marlborough Village, Co Laois, was hospitalised for days after a series of incidents on Friday and Saturday last week but was charged on Wednesday night.

He appeared before Judge Grainne Malone at Dublin District Court on Thursday.

Garda Keith Shier of Portlaoise station told Judge Malone he charged the accused with four offences. The man replied: "I am so sorry" when charged with threatening to kill or cause serious harm to a named woman at his home address on August 18th. The charge is contrary to section five of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

He made no reply when charged with stealing the woman's car on the same date. He answered "I am so sorry" when charged with robbery of the Emo filling station at Portlaoise Road, Mountrath, during which €930 was taken in the early hours of Saturday.

‘Threat of force’

He also had another charge for unlawful seizure, "by threat of force", of an 08 van at nearby Derrykearn, Abbeyleix, minutes later.

It follows other alleged incidents which has led to him being charged with burglary at the home of a named man at Oldtown, Abbeyleix, Co Laois, on August 10th and robbery the following day at Jones Oil, at Tea Lane in Portlaoise during which €1,970 was allegedly taken.

Det Garda JP O’Brien told the court that Mr Moore replied “I am sorry” to both of those charges.

Defence solicitor Brian Keenan said his client was not making a bail application at this stage.

Det Garda O’Brien applied for a remand in custody and asked for 48-hours notice if a bail application is to be made at the next hearing. He said it will be alleged a “fully loaded rifle” was discharged when a vehicle was hijacked and there were “more serious offences”.

The accused was remanded in custody to appear again at the same court next Tuesday for directions from the Director of Public Prosecution to be obtained.

Mr Keenan said his client suffered significant injuries and was in Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore for a number of days.

Legal aid was granted after the court heard the accused was not working.