Courts / Dublin / Report
'Completely incompetent' raider pulled down hood when asked
Summary
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced Dubliner Derek Ennis to four and a half years imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Paddy Power, Seafort Avenue, Sandymount, south Dublin, on February 26, 2020. Judge Martin Nolan noted that the firearm used was likely an imitation due to the "sheer incompetence" of the crime, stating it seemed unlikely a man behaving in such a manner could acquire a real firearm. Prosecution evidence indicated Ennis entered the bookmakers with his hood up but removed it when asked by an employee, making him easily identifiable on CCTV. He pointed a gun at the employee, who fled and activated a panic button; Ennis left without stealing any money. Ennis, of Strandmill Road, Portmarnock, has six previous convictions for robbery, along with other offenses including theft, assault, and drug possession. Defense counsel Emmet Nolan BL described the incident as a "completely incompetent act" and highlighted Ennis's lifelong drug addiction, which he claimed drove the crime. The judge accepted that the enterprise was poorly executed but imposed the custodial sentence. The matter was finalized with this sentence.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: 'Completely incompetent' raider pulled down hood when asked. Charges or matters: attempted robbery at Paddy Power, Seafort Avenue, Sandymount, south Dublin on February 26, 2020. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- February 26, 2020 Incident
- July 2019 Incident
- 2021-03-11 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: attempted robbery at Paddy Power, Seafort Avenue, Sandymount, south Dublin on February 26, 2020 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Nolan said it seemed unlikely that a man behaving in such a way could acquire a real firearm, before he sentenced Ennis to four and a half years imprisonment.
Places mentioned
- Strandmill Road
- Portmarnock
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Seafort Avenue
Topics
Drugs Stage Sentence Theft Violent Crime
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