Courts / Dublin / Report

Teen took part in "sneaky", violent group robbery of Temple Bar tourist

Summary

James O'Reilly, aged 21, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of a tourist's wallet on 14 June 2015. The victim, Robert Robson, a UK national, was approached by a group of 16‑ to 18‑year‑old males near his hotel. CCTV showed five men and a woman surrounding him, taking his wallet and bank cards, and punching him to the ground. O'Reilly, identified on the footage, was the first to interact with Robson but did not punch him. The robbery involved €350 in cash and cards that were later cancelled. O'Reilly had 25 prior convictions. He entered a guilty plea after a legal dispute over the admissibility of Garda CCTV. Judge Patricia Ryan described the offence as "sneaky, horrible" and imposed a one‑year probation bond, keeping him under supervision until 8 February 2019. The court noted the victim's impact statement and O'Reilly's expression of remorse, including a letter to Robson.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Teen took part in "sneaky", violent group robbery of Temple Bar tourist. Charges or matters: robbery of a wallet from Robert Robson at Essex Street on June 14, 2015. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• June 14, 2015 Incident
• February 8, 2019 Other
• 2018-02-09 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision Theft Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report