Jailed for a spate of offences including the robbery of a German tourist

By Niamh O’Donoghue

An “endemic recidivist offender” has been jailed for a spate of offences in Dublin City Centre on three different men including a German tourist in his 60s.

Patrick Cawley (35) of Plunkett Crescent, Finglas, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault, theft and robbery. He has 127 previous convictions.

When the German man pursued him, Cawley hid behind shelves in a convenience shop and then grappled with him while trying to retrieve his rucksack.

In sentencing, Judge Orla Crowe described Cawley as an “endemic recidivist offender” whose behaviour was “reprehensible.”

All the victims were male and in one case, a man had to have his jaw wired when Cawley and another man set upon him.

The judge noted Cawley has a very significant list of offences but noted he had a life marked by “endemic drug addiction”.

She said she wanted to incentivise Cawley in dealing with his drug addiction and to facilitate his return to society.

Judge Crowe imposed consecutive sentences totalling five years and three months.

She suspended the final 12 months of that term, leaving Cawley with an effective jail term of four years and three months.

It was backdated it for time spent in custody.

The court heard a German tourist who was with his family on holidays, was on Aston Quay in May 2023.

Cawley asked him for a fist bump and requested a cigarette but then stole the man’s rucksack.

The German man ran after him and said “give me back my bag”.

Cawley had gone into a convenience store in Westmoreland Street and hid behind the shelves in the shop. The injured party found him and grappled with him at the door of the shop.

Gardai were later able to identify Cawley and he was arrested and interviewed.

The German man made a victim impact statement – the injured party said he was shocked after the incident and suffered from anxiety and stress.

He also said he now has a fear of crowds and of travel. The man said he had an economic loss of €1,100 relating to having to cancel other parts of his holiday but the rucksack was recovered, the court heard.

In another incident Cawley and another man punched a man in the face on Westmoreland Street, leaving him with a broken jaw.

That man did not make a victim impact statement but a medical report stated he had an acute mandibular fracture consistent with punch to the face.

The man’s fractured jaw needed wiring, the court heard.

Cawley pleaded to assault contrary to Section 2 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Under cross-examination Garda Robert Kennedy agreed with Declan Higgins BL, defending, that tragedy and adversity “has visited his door more than once.”

The court heard that Cawley’s parents and his brother all died within a short period of time when he was 15.

Gda Kennedy agreed Cawley was co-operative in interview and identified another party who was not before the court and was “very upfront”.

In another incident, a man was going home from the gym and was at a Luas stop on April 28, 2024 when he was mugged by two men and his wallet was taken.

The men went towards Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre and when the injured party caught up with them, both men were congregated around tents and denied having his wallet.

One of the men said “don’t accuse me of stealing your wallet or I’ll break your head open”.

The injured party managed to cancel his card but an attempt had been made to tap it in a convenience shop.

CCTV was taken from various locations and Cawley, who was then serving a sentence, was arrested on January 17, 2025 and brought to Pearse Street Garda Station where he indicated he had been involved in the robbery and said he “was sick and he needed the money”.