A robber, whose accomplice hailed a taxi which waited for the raiders while they held up staff at a Dublin pharmacy with a barbecue fork, has been sentenced to seven years in prison by Judge Donagh McDonagh.
Gary Edney (33), and an accomplice wore a suit and tie entering the shop and then pulled on balaclavas but their escape with drugs and €398 in cash was blocked by a young passerby who had witnessed the raid.
Edney's accomplice kicked in the door and the pair walked through the shattered glass before they jumped into the taxi which had been hailed by a third man, and the fork was held to the driver's neck to force him to drive under their directions.
Garda Alan McDevitt told Ronan Kennedy BL, prosecuting, that the culprit who hailed the taxi had asked the driver to wait while a few of his mates went in "to collect a few bob".
Edney, with addresses at Sallynoggin Crescent and Thomastown Crescent, Sallynoggin and Richmond Road, Ballybough, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the robbery of Unicare Pharmacy on Lower Drumcondra Road and the unlawful seizure of the taxi there on October 8, 2005.
He also pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of heroin for sale or supply, worth €7,272 and €180, on January 21 and August 24, 2005. He had 48 previous convictions for robbery, burglary, possession of drugs for sale or supply and larceny.
Judge McDonagh said the way Edney and his accomplices went about the robbery "was an unusual way to go about committing crimes".
He suspended the last 18 months on condition that Edney keep the peace and be of good behaviour for three years upon his release after noting his acceptance that he played a more minor role in the robbery and had expressed regrets for his involvement.
Garda McDevitt said Edney and his companion ordered the pharmacy staff not to press the panic alarm and to fill a refuse sack with sleeping tablets, methadone and other prescription drugs. Edney asked another staff member to empty the till and they were ordered to kneel.
Garda McDevitt said a fork was pressed to the taxi driver's neck and he was ordered to drive up Clonliffe Road and wait for further directions.
A Garda car was passing in the opposite direction at the time and the driver was told if he tried to draw attention to them they would "stick" him with the fork.
Witnesses alerted gardaí and gave the registration plate of the taxi. Garda Paul Fahy pulled up beside the taxi on Summerhill Parade and he saw the raiders shouting at the driver who then drove the wrong way up North Circular Road.
Gardaí gave chase and the car pulled up a short time later. The culprits jumped out but Edney was spotted hiding under a parked van with the bag of cash.
Garda McDevitt said Edney admitted the robbery but said he was strung out on drugs at the time and owed money for his addiction.