Courts / Dublin / Report

Robber threatened barista with syringe

Summary

Rainis Koovit, aged 21, was found guilty of robbing a tip jar at Kaph Cafe in Dublin and of brandishing a syringe to threaten a barista. He claimed the syringe was HIV‑infected, though the court heard it was not. Koovit had previously used the alias Stephen McCormack and had ten earlier convictions under that name, including theft, criminal damage and drug possession, plus one theft conviction under his own name. He entered the cafe earlier that day, obtained a syringe from Merchants Quay, returned to the coffee shop, attempted to seize the chained tip jar, threatened the barista with the syringe, then grabbed foreign bank notes worth about €20 and fled. The barista and a male worker pursued him but did not catch him. Koovit was arrested about a month later, pleaded guilty, and was remanded in custody with a sentence hearing scheduled for December 21.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Robber threatened barista with syringe. Charges or matters: one count of robbing bank notes of various currencies and one count of producing a syringe with intent to cause injury or intimidate on February 27 this year. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• February 27 Incident
• December 21 Adjournment
• 2017-11-06 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

• Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
• Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
• Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
• 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
• Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
• 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'

Read the original CNI report