Robbed woman who withdrew cash from bank

By Claire Henry and David O’Sullivan

A teenager who robbed €4,000 in cash from a woman who was planning to buy her autistic son a car has been handed a fully-suspended sentence.

Miley McDonald (19) of Stralem Terrace, Ongar, Dublin 15, was sent forward from the District Court on a signed plea of guilty to one count of robbery of cash at Main Street, Wicklow Town, Co. Wicklow, on November 18, 2021.

A local garda told prosecuting counsel that on the day, the victim went to the AIB branch in Wicklow Town and withdrew €4,000 to put in her credit union savings account so that she could buy a car for her autistic son.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the woman left the bank with the money in €50 notes within an envelope.

She saw a young man standing across the road and staring at her, which she thought was “a bit strange.”

She walked up the street and saw a silver Peugeot doing a U-turn, before noticing McDonald was walking just two steps behind her.

McDonald tried to grab the money from her, pulling her down the street before eventually taking the envelope.

He then got into the silver Peugeot and fled.

Others witnessed the robbery. McDonald and two other occupants of the car were stopped at a gardaí checkpoint.

The €4,000 was found under the passenger seat.

McDonald was arrested, detained and charged with robbery.

He came forward with signed pleas of guilty.

He was 17 years’ old at the time of the offence.

The other occupants of the car have taken a trial date.

The court heard that the woman has been “on edge” since the incident and is “watching everyone around her” while she is out.

She feared for her life during the incident and had to attend her doctor as she had pain, swelling and bruising to both of her hands.

Mark Lynam SC, defending, said his client’s remorse is clear and that he entered a very early guilty plea.

Mr Lynam said his client went to work in the UK after this and described the robbery as an “isolated incident.”

McDonald had no previous convictions at the time and has not come to gardai attention since.

Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Orla Crowe described the robbery as an “entirely shocking event” and said “it’s a very serious debut for a person to come before this court.”

Judge Crowe said the aggravating factors in the case include the impact on the victim.

She said the mitigating factors include McDonald’s early guilty plea, his expressions of remorse, that he had no convictions before or since, and that the money was recovered.

Judge Crowe sentenced him to two years imprisonment, but suspended the sentence in its entirety.

The judge said “in light of the fact that he is so young, I wish to give him an opportunity to demonstrate that he can lead a pro-social life”.

Judge Crowe warned him that the matter could be re-entered before the court if he comes to adverse gardai attention.