Addict who robbed Limerick bookmakers discarded his pants in local cemetery

A MAN wearing bright pink pants robbed a bookmakers in Abbeyfeale with a knife before discarding his clothes in a graveyard in an effort to evade arrest, a Limerick court has heard.

Judge Dermot Sheehan said the incident occurred in “a quiet town in rural Limerick where this sort of thing doesn’t happen or so they thought until you did this”.

The female victim said she believed the culprit would inflict injuries on her. “I was a defenceless woman and felt very vulnerable,” she said.

Following a trial, Brian Sheridan, aged 44, with an address at Colbert Terrace, Abbeyfeale was unanimously convicted by a jury in July of a robbery at a Paddy Power shop in Abbeyfeale on August 12, 2017.

Prosecuting barrister Lily Buckley, instructed by State Solicitor Aidan Judge, outlined the evidence with the assistance of Detective Garda Eric O’Shea.

Ms Buckley said the Paddy Power employee opened the shop at 9am and was alone at the time.

“A man wearing a green jacket, bright pink pants, a snood, gloves and who had his hood up came in and closed the outside door. He said, ‘Give me the f*****g money or I’ll stab you’. She saw he had a knife.

Ms Buckley said the man jumped up on the counter, brandished the knife and pushed it towards her.

“It had a six inch blade. She pressed the personal alarm around her neck,” she stated, adding that Mr Sheridan made off €430.

Detective Garda O’Shea said CCTV footage was harvested and that he observed a male walking with the same gait as Mr Sheridan but wearing different clothes.

“I believed he had discarded his clothes,” said the detective.

A search was commenced with the assistance of Detective Garda Patrick Lee and a trousers, snood and jacket with €50 in the pocket was found in undergrowth in the graveyard.

Detective Garda O’Shea said DNA found on snood and the jacket matched Mr Sheridan’s DNA.

“There is a one in a thousand million chance it wasn’t his DNA,” said the detective.

After he was arrested Mr Sheridan told gardai his jacket and snood had been stolen and he never carried a knife as it was “a scummy thing to do”.

He later “took full responsibility”.

Mr Sheridan said he was under pressure over a drug debt and it was either to stab someone or rob Paddy Power.

“I’m sorry I upset that woman. I’m so sorry. I want to apologise to that woman,” Mr Sheridan told gardai.

He has a number of previous convictions for thefts, public order and possession of drugs.

During the sentencing hearing, a victim impact statement was read out which outlined how the Paddy Power employee was very nervous, always on edge and had trouble sleeping after the robbery.

“I always felt confident and secure in the shop but I could not be on my own in the bookmakers anymore. He threatened me and demanded I hand over the money.

“I believed he was going to inflict injuries. I was a defenceless woman and felt very vulnerable. My life has been on hold for the last six years,” read the victim impact statement.

Yvonne Quinn, defence barrister, put it to Detective Garda O’Shea that her client was a chronic heroin addict at the time and that Mr Sheridan did make admissions and apologise to the woman involved. The witness agreed.

In mitigation, Ms Quinn said Mr Sheridan accepts the verdict of the jury, acknowledges his wrong doing and wishes to express his remorse to the injured party.

The barrister said the defendant has no previous convictions for robbery or of a violent nature.

“He is drug free in excess of six years. He has been doing exceptionally well. There were some difficulties when he was growing up and his first use of drugs was at age 12. He is a great tradesman and has full-time employment awaiting him on release. It is no excuse but he did it to pay off a drug debt.”

Judge Dermot Sheehan said he recalled the trial where it was heard that Mr Sheridan did this because of a drug debt and “more dangerous people than you compelled you to do this and were there that day to assist you”.

Judge Sheehan said the victim impact statement impressed him.

“The crime had a significant effect on the victim. She was confronted by a man with a knife and threatened with a knife. She eventually handed over €430. It occurred in a quiet town in a rural area where this sort of thing doesn’t happen or so they thought until you did this.

They had to improve security. You have changed the experience of the victim’s working life.. It has made her nervous. People have to be with her at all times in the shop. You have brought change to her life,” said Judge Sheehan.

The judge praised the excellent detective work of Eric O’Shea and gardai through CCTV and recovering Mr Sheridan’s clothing in a graveyard.

Judge Sheehan imposed a four year jail sentence, with the final 12 months suspended.