Armed man who went on Louth crime spree jailed for two-and-a-half years

By Francis Carroll, The Drogheda Independent

A 30-year-old man went on a six-day crime spree in Drogheda and was stopped by Gardaí behind the wheel of a van he had stolen from a friend who had been putting him up.

Stephen Hevey, of no fixed abode, appeared in custody for sentencing at Dundalk Circuit Court after pleading guilty to two robberies, two attempted robberies and one count of unauthorised taking of a vehicle.

He was wielding a knife in three of four incidents in different shops, while on the other occasion he intimated that he had something in his pocket.

The defendant had been homeless, and was in custody since his apprehension in April of last year.

Det Gda Paul Martin gave evidence that at 7.50pm on April 4, 2024, a man jumped on top of the counter in Gerry’s Fresh Foods, Bryanstown.

He pointed a knife at a member of staff. She ran to the other end of the shop “in fear of her life”.

The man grabbed frozen lollipops before running off.

Eight minutes later a man wearing the same distinctive clothing ran to the till area of Circle K, Dublin Road. He couldn’t get past a locked door. He pulled out a large knife and told a female employee to open it. She hit an alarm button and he ran out.

At 6.50am on April 9, again wearing the same clothing, the defendant was in an Applegreen store. He intimated he had something in his pocket as a female opened a till “in fear”.

Mr Hevey took €460 cash from two tills, as well as drinks and two phone chargers, saying “thank you” as he left.

The store manager pressed a panic button in an office.

Det Gda Martin continued that 33 minutes later, the same man went into Mace, Dublin Road, holding a knife and demanding the till be opened.

He got away with €700 cash and a litre bottle of Bacardi.

The court heard that the defendant had been sleeping on a sofa in a friend’s house.

This person took him for food and told him he could no longer stay. He was allowed get into the man’s work van for warmth.

However, Hevey stole the van from Nun’s Walk. He was the sole occupant when this vehicle was stopped by Gardaí.

Inside, was a knife, bottle of Bacardi, varying amounts of cash, items of clothing and footwear, as well as the defendant’s driving licence and passport.

There were no previous convictions at the time. He had accumulated five since.

He was of no fixed abode when arrested and has been in custody with consent to bail since April 10, 2024.

Barrister Stephen Faulkner, instructed by solicitor Paul Moore, said that this was a spree of offending in less than a week when weapons were produced during robberies.

The defendant was homeless and addicted at the time. He accepted responsibility and wanted to apologise, specifically to his to his friend who extended him goodwill and trust.

Mr Hevey got 15 disciplinary sanctions in custody.

A probation report noted that Stephen Hevey was originally from Dublin. The family moved to Drogheda. He began drinking at age 13 and taking drugs two years later. He was six to 8 years homeless.

Judge Dara Hayes said that this was a spree of offending.

He imposed concurrent three-and-a-half year sentences, the final 12 months conditionally suspended, and backdated to April 10, 2024.