A CRIMINAL "politely" told bank tellers Good afternoon ladies, this is a robbery," Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been told.
When the armed raider left the bank with £6,577, Jason Hobson (24) drove him away on a motorbike. Their getaway was short lived, however, as a few minutes before the robbery, the raider needed a toilet stop at a nearby service station. The men's faces were filmed by the station's security cameras when they removed their helmets.
Sgt Pat McHugh said it was Hobson's first involvement in crime and he would probably never offend again. The second man, who has a serious criminal record, is before the District Court on the robbery charge.
Judge Michael Moriarty cited what, he called Sgt McHugh's exceptional and fair evidence as he remanded Hobson on bail to May 3rd next. He warned that he might not be able to avoid imposing a jail term.
Hobson, of Pineview, Ballybrack, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to armed robbery at the Bank of Ireland, Merrion Road, Dublin, on May 5th, 1995.
Sgt McHugh told Mr Tom O'Connell, prosecuting, that Hobson immediately admitted the offence when arrested a few days later.
His accomplice had produced a handgun in the bank and a teller suffered a sprained ankle and torn ligaments as she scrambled to get money. During the investigation, a handgun with five bullets was recovered. There was no proof, however, to link it with the gun used in the robbery.
Sgt McHugh told Mr Niall Durnin, defending, that Hobson had met the other man in a hotel bar days before the robbery. , He was persuaded to act as driver even though he did not know exactly what was planned.