Man to be sentenced for seven robberies

By Fiona Ferguson

A man who began taking drugs as a child and has spent most of his life incarcerated will be sentenced later for a spate of seven robberies.

Michael Rooney Dignam (44) committed the robberies armed with implements such as a broken bottle, knife and a syringe during a drug relapse following a release from custody.

In one robbery, he held a knife to the terrified teenage daughter of a shopkeeper while her father took money from the till.

The victim of another robbery told the court: “I never felt fear like that in my life ever.”

Other victims, all staff members of shops and off-licences, were threatened that they would be stabbed if they did not hand over money, and one man was hit on the arm with a broken bottle.

Rooney Dignam has 55 prior convictions, including the manslaughter of his brother during a dispute, 21 robberies, burglaries, drugs, public order and road traffic offences.

Rooney Dignam, formerly with an address at Little Britain Street, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty to seven robberies at locations around Dublin on dates between August and September 2024.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard Rooney Dignam expressed regret and remorse for his actions during garda interviews, and the offences were committed in the context of a drug addiction.

Prosecuting gardai told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that Rooney Dignam threatened staff during the robberies while armed with various items and made off with cash from the till in each case.

The premises included supermarkets and off-licences. No money has been recovered.

Rooney was identified from CCTV footage of the robberies and forensic evidence taken from the scenes.

After gardai showed him CCTV from the robbery involving the teenage girl, he told them: “I deserve everything I get for that alone.”

He identified himself on the footage but said he could not remember the robberies.

He said that he was spending up to €700 a day on heroin, and all the money went on drugs.

He asked gardai to turn off footage of the robberies, telling them: “I can’t look at it any more”.

He said, “There is nothing I can say; there is no excuse for what I did.”

Karl Moran BL, defending, said his client had been involved in the criminal justice system throughout life and began taking drugs at the age of seven.

He has spent the majority of his life incarcerated.

He said Rooney Dignam has a cyclical pattern of drug taking, offending and incarceration.

He said there is significant trauma in his background, and he has difficulties surviving in society upon release.

He said his client had been released in April 2024 and had been working prior to relapsing on drugs after he was unable to deal with stressful situations that arose in his life.

He asked the court to adjourn sentencing so his client could put forward reports on the efforts he has been making in custody to return to education, and also so he can undergo urine analysis.

Judge Orla Crowe adjourned sentencing until November to allow the defence lawyer to present reports to the court.

She will hear a full plea in mitigation on Rooney Dignam’s behalf on that date.