A Dublin street robber who targeted tourists with a syringe was branded a national saboteur yesterday by the judge who jailed him for eight years.
David Keogh robbed a woman from Trinidad of her cash and a camera on November 2nd last and also jabbed an American tourist with a syringe after he and two accomplices assaulted him near the city centre.
Keogh, who was on temporary release from prison at the time of the attacks, was identified by the victims.
Judge Frank O'Donnell of the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court noted that he had no medical report on the American victim's present condition and added: "I'm entitled to take the violence used into consideration and in my view when skin is broken it is akin to having a firearm discharged at you."
Keogh (31), a father of two, of Oliver Bond Flats, Dublin, pleaded guilty to committing nine robberies on dates from April to November 1997.
Judge O'Donnell said it was unclear to him why Keogh was given temporary release shortly after he had been jailed in November 1996 for four years for assault with intent to rob. The judge said the sentence would be reviewed in November 2001.