A garda shot a drug addict who robbed a shop at knifepoint while unlawfully at large from prison, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Eamon Kane and another masked man entered a newsagents in Nassau Street, on January 12th, 1998, and locked two staff members in the basement. A garda saw the robbers had a knife and called for backup.
Det Sgt Seamus Kane said the men sprang on the garda when ordered to drop the knife. Two shots were discharged which hit Kane in the shoulder and leg.
Una Ni Raifeartaigh, prosecuting, BL both that The pair ran into t he grounds of Trinity College where a medical student found Kane bleeding heavily and may have saved his life before he was taken to hospital. He was detained in intensive care for some time.
Kane (25), of Dolphin House, Rialto, had been serving a four-year sentence but had failed to return to Mountjoy Prison after leave to attend his grandmother's funeral. He pleaded guilty to his role in the shop robbery and had 15 previous convictions.
Judge Kevin Haugh imposed a three-year sentence with the final year suspended.