Courts / Dublin / Report

Phone shop owner "feared for life" during armed raid

Date
2019-12-20

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 24‑year‑old Bruno De Melo pleaded guilty to two robberies. On 10 June 2019 he and an accomplice entered Mr Syed Shah's phone shop on Phibsboro Road, threatened him with a knife, and stole 53 mobile phones, iPads and tablets worth €14,300. Mr Shah, who was not insured, described the raid as a "last day of my life" and said the loss shattered his future plans. Two weeks earlier, on 29 May 2019, De Melo had robbed a €6,500 Rolex Submariner from Mr David O'Gorman at a Glasnevin service station, demanding the watch with a knife. The watch was never recovered. Judge Elma Sheahan remanded De Melo in custody and adjourned sentencing to 3 February 2020. The court heard that De Melo had no prior Irish convictions but had UK convictions for robbery, burglary and false representations.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Phone shop owner "feared for life" during armed raid. Charges or matters: robbery of 53 mobile phones from Mr Shah at Mr iPhone, Phibsboro Road on June 10, 2019; robbery of a Rolex Watch valued at €6,500 from Mr David O'Gorman at Glasnevin Woods, Glasnevin on May 29, 2019. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

June 10, 2019 Incident
May 29, 2019 Adjournment
February 3, 2020 Adjournment
June 10 Adjournment
May 29 Hearing Or Sentence
2016 and 2017 Incident
2019-12-20 Publication

Case subjects

De Melo

Defendant

Charges: robbery of 53 mobile phones from Mr Shah at Mr iPhone, Phibsboro Road on June 10, 2019; robbery of a Rolex Watch valued at €6,500 from Mr David O'Gorman at Glasnevin Woods, Glasnevin on May 29, 2019 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Elma Sheahan remanded De Melo further in custody and adjourned sentencing until February 3, 2020.