A man described by his counsel as "polite and gentle" has been jailed for four years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for 16 shop robberies.
James Dempsey (21), Slievenamon Road, Drimnagh, admitted the robberies of late-opening newsagents between May 1999 and April 2000, in which he used knives and batons. He committed 14 of the offences whilst on bail. Defence counsel Mr Michael Hourician told Judge Elisabeth Dunne that Dempsey came across "as a gentle. polite and vulnerable young man who is deeply remorseful". Judge Dunne imposed sentences totalling four years.