Man who robbed same pharmacy twice is jailed for four years

By Claire Henry

A Dublin man who robbed the same pharmacy twice in four months has been sentenced to four years in prison.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on 13 February 2021 John O’Kane was working in Medipharm, North Frederick St, Dublin 1. Mr O’Kane heard someone entering the shop and came to the pharmacy counter to serve the customer.

William Gaynor (56) of no fixed abode, entered the pharmacy holding a knife. Gaynor attempted to gain access to the dispensary area of the pharmacy and said, “this is a stick up”.

Garda Erin Connell of Mountjoy Garda Station told John Moher BL prosecuting, that the accused could not get the dispensary door open and jumped the counter in the pharmacy.

A female member of staff asked Gaynor what he wanted, and he said, “Xanax and cash”. €300 and Xanax were handed over to Gaynor, and he left the pharmacy.

The court heard that gardaí arrived at the scene and Gaynor was identified on CCTV.

After his arrest Gaynor told gardai that he had carried out the robbery on the pharmacy as he wanted to carry out euthanasia.

He said he was sick, and treatment wasn’t working, that he had not eaten or slept, and he just wanted to end it all.

Approximately four months later Gaynor entered the same shop armed with a corkscrew and demanded cash and Valium.

The court heard that there were several staff members in the shop and a woman with two young children.

The panic button was pressed which alerted the gardaí to the robbery.

The man demanded cash and Valium.

One hundred and fifty Valium tablets and €300 in cash were handed over, and the man left the shop.

Anne-Marie Lawlor SC defending, told the court that no use of violence was carried out in either of the robberies.

She said her client had a long-standing drug addiction and suffered from physical medical conditions.

The court heard that on both occasions of his arrest, Gaynor admitted to carrying out the robberies and entered guilty pleas at the very earliest stages.

Staff members from the pharmacy were asked if they wished to make victim impact statements, but they declined.

Judge Pauline Codd outlined that the most significant aggravating factor is Gaynor targeted the same pharmacy twice in four months.

She also stated that Gaynor has previous convictions for both robbery and theft.

Judge Codd noted the mitigating factors such as Gaynor’s early guilty pleas, his personal history, the positive governor’s report and the physical medical conditions that the accused has.

Judge Codd sentenced Gaynor to four years in prison, backdated for time already served.