A Dublin man who was found in possession of £3,850 in stolen cash while on bail for armed robbery has been jailed for a total of nine years by Judge Elizabeth Dunne at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The money was covered in red dye when gardai recovered it during a house search.
John Daly (20), of Cloonlara Drive, Finglas, pleaded guilty to four counts of robbery and possession of a firearm on January 24th, 1999, and February 1st, 1999, and to handling stolen property on November 4th, 1999.
Det Garda Kevin Stafford told Mr Fergal Foley, prosecuting, that the defendant and another man robbed the same service station on the Finglas Road with a sawn-off shotgun on January 24th, 1999, and again on February 1st, 1999.
Det Garda Stafford said that in the first incident one shot was discharged into the security hatch, but failed to penetrate the glass. Daly claimed that the gun went off accidentally. He was arrested a few days later when the shotgun was found hidden in a wardrobe in his home. He was subsequently released on bail.
Garda Eamonn Brady said he arrested Daly on November 4th at his sister's flat while investigating a separate robbery. The £3,850 was found in his possession.
Judge Dunne said she was satisfied that the gun went off accidentally but she insisted that the consequences were extreme when a person set out to commit a robbery armed with a shotgun.
She imposed a total of six years for the robbery and firearms charges and three years for handling stolen property. She instructed that they be served consecutively because the second offence was committed while Daly was on bail for the robbery charges.