Jail for homeless man who demanded €20k and weekly protection money

A 31-year-old homeless man has been jailed for three years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court following his guilty plea to demanding money with menaces. Brendan Glynn, originally from Sligo, handed a typed note into a Spar shop on The Stiles Road, Clontarf on 16 July 2017, demanding €20,000 with subsequent weekly payments of €2,000. The note contained threats to burn down the premises and warned the owner against contacting gardaí. The shop owner alerted police, and Glynn was arrested two days later after being identified on CCTV. Judge Melanie Greally acknowledged the offence was not sophisticated and was committed during a period of addiction and homelessness, but noted the letter's content would cause extreme fear. Glynn received a four-year sentence with the final twelve months suspended. He was ordered to comply with the Probation Service and address his addictions.