Courts / Dublin / Report

Addict 'not receiving any coins' due to Covid turned to robbery

Date
2020-09-24

Stage
Charge Or Pretrial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, 25‑year‑old Gerard Dempsey pleaded guilty to robbery after stealing a woman's phone to fund his drug habit. Dempsey, who has no fixed abode and sleeps rough in Dublin 1, said he had not been receiving money from charity due to Covid‑19, which had disrupted his usual source of revenue. On 18 May 2020, while the victim was walking home from a pub, Dempsey followed her, grabbed her shoulder, pulled her to the ground, and attempted to take her phone. He also made an unintentional contact with her privates, which the victim did not consider a sexual offence. Dempsey admitted the offence, claimed withdrawal symptoms, and had 57 prior convictions. Judge Patricia Ryan ordered a probation report, recommended psychiatric assessment, and adjourned the case to 13 November for finalisation.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Addict 'not receiving any coins' due to Covid turned to robbery. Charges or matters: robbery at Barrow Street, Ringsend, on May 18, 2020. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

May 18, 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
November 13 Adjournment
2020-09-24 Publication

Why: A homeless man robbed a phone from a woman in order to purchase drugs because his usual source of revenue had been affected by Covid-19, a court has heard. CNI source report