Two sisters who faked a series of robberies worth more than €9,000 from a Chartbusters video shop have been remanded on bail by Judge Desmond Hogan for sentence on November 15th.
Sandra and Caitriona Coburn, The Vale, Woodfarm Acres, Palmerstown, Co Dublin, told gardaí later that they had been under duress by a third party who held a gun to Caitríona's child and threatened to kill the baby if they did not arrange to have the money taken from the shop.
Det Garda Edward McBride told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that Caitríona Coburn claimed it was her then boyfriend who threatened them into organising the fake robberies.
Det Garda McBride agreed with Iseult O'Malley, for Sandra Coburn, and Una Ní Raifeartaigh, for Caitriona Coburn, that it was "absolutely possible" the said third party had put the two sisters under duress.
He said the man was known to gardaí, was addicted to drugs and was currently out of the jurisdiction. Det Garda McBride said gardaí are seeking to question him on the matter.
He also agreed that neither sister had any previous convictions and that they were from a good hard-working family.
Sandra Coburn (21) pleaded guilty to robbery from Chartbusters on Kennelsfort Road Lower, Palmerstown, in May 2003 and to making false statements about someone else committing theft from the premises.
Caitriona Coburn (26) pleaded guilty to handling stolen property at the same Chartbusters shop. Another charge, relating to a fake robbery she committed at a similar place of employment on an earlier date, is pending against her.
Prosecuting counsel Karen O'Connor said the court would hear details of the latter crime at the sentence hearing on November 15th.
Det Garda McBride told Ms O'Connor that Sandra Coburn had been working at the Chartbusters when the alleged robberies took place on May 19th and June 23rd, 2003, and on August 24th, 2003.
She called the Ballyfermot Garda station on May 19th to report the robbery. When gardaí arrived at the shop, she said a man had threatened and stabbed her with a syringe once and had robbed €3,000. She said the "robber" also took the shop's security videos.