By Eimear Dodd
A man who carried out a spate of shop hold ups over an eight-week period has been handed a six and a half year jail sentence.
In one raid on a city centre adult store Patrick Fahey (47) took €400 in cash while in a hold up of a vintage clothes shop he left with fruit and a chocolate bar.
Fahey of Druid Court, Ballymun, Dublin, pleaded guilty to seven counts relating to robberies and attempted robberies which took place on dates between August 22, 2019 and October 15, 2019 at various locations in Dublin.
He also pleaded guilty to robbery at Spar, Rathbourne on April 26, 2021 and robbery at the St Vincent de Paul shop, Main Street, Finglas on September 30, 2021.
Judge Martin Nolan imposed a total sentence of six and a half years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
He said the incidents were similar, involving robbery or attempted robbery.
While there had been “no real violence”, Judge Nolan said the victims would have been in fear during each incident.
Fahey has 18 previous convictions and has been on remand in relation to these charges since October 2021.
The court heard a man, later identified from CCTV as Fahey, entered a shop on Dorset Street on August 22, 2019 with a hammer and told staff to open the till, stealing €30 in cash.
In another incident, Fahey and another man entered Soho adult shop on Capel Street on September 10, 2019.
Fahey jumped on the counter and took €400 from the till.
Fahey was also identified as one of two males who stole €350 from Londis on Nassau Street on October 5, 2019.
On October 8, 2019 Fahey was seen carrying a small knife when he entered a vintage clothes shop on Thomas Street, the court heard.
He asked for the money from the till and a female member of staff showed him the purse used to store cash was empty.
Fahey left the store with a tote bag containing fruit and a chocolate bar.
The court heard six days later Fahey stole €700 cash and also caused €500 of damage to a cash register at a cafe.
Evidence was heard that staff at Spar Rathbourne were serving a customer when a man entered the shop on April 26. 2019.
The man, subsequently identified as Fahey, jumped over the counter and took a hammer from a bag.
He demanded money from the till and stole a till drawer containing between €200 and €300.
When questioned by gardai on separate occasions about the individual robberies, Fahey made full admissions and accepted his involvement.
In some incidents, he identified himself from CCTV footage. He also apologised for his behaviour and expressed remorse.
Michael Hourigan BL, defending, said Fahey was extremely remorseful and had managed to stay out of trouble for 20 years before coming back on the gardai’s radar due to these incidents, the majority of which occurred between August and October 2019.
He said the father of two found himself at the “bottom of the hole”. Counsel said his client had a difficult family background and issues with drugs.
Mr Hourigan said Fahey had suffered an injury prior to this offending, and was taking opiates for this injury.
Judge Nolan said Fahey had previously shown that he could make changes and that the court hoped he could do so again. He backdated the sentences to October 3, 2021 when Fahey entered custody.