Courts / Dublin / Report
Suspended sentence for knife-wielding robber after "complete turnaround"
Summary
Laurence Bryan (36) pleaded guilty to four robberies and two attempted robberies at shops in the Tallaght area between March 31, 2016 and April 8, 2016. Bryan, who has 132 previous convictions, including a five and a half year sentence with the final 18 months suspended imposed in 2014 for previous robberies, admitted to committing the crimes while in the throes of a crack cocaine and heroin addiction. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Bryan had undergone a residential drug treatment program and had since made a 'complete turnaround' in his life, including undertaking a horticultural course and beginning to move into the employment market. The judge stated that the robberies were extremely serious and committed during an extremely destructive addiction. She imposed a five-year prison sentence, which was suspended in full on strict conditions. The matter was adjourned in 2017 to allow the residential drug treatment program to be completed. Bryan was identified on CCTV in the earlier cases and taken from Cloverhill Prison to be interviewed. He made admissions and told gardai that he did not want to hurt anybody but needed the money for drugs.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Suspended sentence for knife-wielding robber after "complete turnaround". Charges or matters: four robberies and two attempted robberies at shops in the Tallaght area between March 31, 2016 and April 8, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 31, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- April 8, 2016 Adjournment
- April 2 Hearing Or Sentence
- April 5 Hearing Or Sentence
- April 8 Incident
- 2019-10-25 Publication
Case subjects
Applicant
Defendant
Charges: four robberies and two attempted robberies at shops in the Tallaght area between March 31, 2016 and April 8, 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Bryan has 132 previous convictions, including a five and a half year sentence with the final 18 months suspended imposed in 2014 for previous robberies. At that time in 2017, she told Bryan that she was not making any promises but it appeared that four years in prison had not served him or the community well. "You were back to square one within a number of weeks," Judge Greally said, "so it is clear some alternative to a sentence, even with a suspended period, will be needed to break the cycle." Judge Greally today said these had been extremely serious robberies committed by Bryan in the throes of an extremely destructive addiction to crack cocaine and heroin.; Judge Melanie Greally initially heard evidence in this case in 2017 and had adjourned it to allow the residential drug treatment program to be completed.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Tallaght
- Brookfield
- Cloverhill Prison
Topics
Related court reports
- Pair jailed for preying on innocent shooting victim in 'vicious extortion racket'
- 'Fun loving' drug dealer jailed over possession of €90k in crime cash
- 'I'm doing my job as a mum': court hears exchange between mother and accused son
- Separated husband spared conviction despite alleged threat to throw former wife out window
- Serial criminal set car ablaze after release from Melanie McCarthy-McNamara manslaughter sentence
- Drug dealer further sentenced for 'crudely' laundering own crime cash
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request