Christopher Lee jailed for attempted shop robbery

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Christopher Lee was jailed for 20 months by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for attempted robbery. The proceedings were reported on 12 November 2015.

He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery. The offence took place at Chapman’s Superstore, Castle Crescent, Clondalkin, Dublin, on 12 March 2015.

During the attempt, Lee waved a kitchen knife at shopkeeper James Chapman, who swung a piece of wood to try to knock it from his hand. Garda Fiona Ruddy told the court that the tip of Chapman’s finger was cut off during the struggle. Asked by the judge whether the finger could have encountered the knife rather than Lee swinging it, she said she could not say. The judge said Lee probably did not swing the knife to injure, but had armed himself before entering the shop.

Lee told gardaí he chose the shop because it was close to the garda station and he wanted to be arrested. He said he did not set out to hurt anyone and would not have committed the crime had he thought the shopkeeper would be hurt.

Lee had 36 previous convictions, including two for robbery. The judge said the sentence would have been longer but for his significant steps towards rehabilitation. The court heard he was now drug-free and studying to help others with addiction.