Courts / Dublin / Report
Former civil servant spared jail for robbing charity box
Summary
Elisa Lennon, a 38‑year‑old former civil servant, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempted robbery at Home Focus and the Ikea car park, and to robbery at Tansun Tan and Tone, all in Ballymun and Finglas, on 30 January 2013. She also admitted taking €25 and a Barnardos charity box from a tanning shop after a third failed robbery attempt. Lennon had previously failed to rob a Home Focus shop manager and an elderly lady in an Ikea car park, using a large kitchen knife and later a smaller knife. A passing motorist intervened by honking and later provided the BMW registration details, confirming Lennon's vehicle. Judge Mary Ellen Ring imposed a two‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence, ordered probation supervision and completion of a Restorative Justice Programme, and praised the motorist's intervention. Lennon apologized to all victims and had no further contact with Gardaí since the court appearance. The €25 was never recovered.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Former civil servant spared jail for robbing charity box. Charges or matters: attempted robbery at Home Focus and the Ikea car park, both in Ballymun on January 30, 2013; attempted robbery on Grove Road, Finglas and to robbery at Tansun Tan and Tone, Clune Road, also in Finglas, on the same date. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 30, 2013 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2014-11-07 Publication
Why: He accepted that she had used her wages to fund her crack cocaine habit, which made her paranoid. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: attempted robbery at Home Focus and the Ikea car park, both in Ballymun on January 30, 2013; attempted robbery on Grove Road, Finglas and to robbery at Tansun Tan and Tone, Clune Road, also in Finglas, on the same date (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Mary Ellen Ring said that she was taking into consideration Lennon's prior good behaviour when imposing the two and a half year suspended sentence. She ordered that Lennon remain under Probation Service supervision and complete a Restorative Justice Programme.
Places mentioned
- St Margaret's Road
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Grove Road
- Clune Road
Topics
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