Courts / Dublin / Report

Off-duty garda and dad knocked inept robber off scooter, court hears

Summary

In a 2015 court hearing, an off‑duty Garda and his father intervened during an attempted robbery at a Paddy Power bookmakers in Saggart. The offender, David Towell, 36, had just left the bookmaker's premises without taking any cash and was attempting to escape on a moped with an accomplice. The Garda and his father knocked both men to the ground as the vehicle took off. Towell pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and possession of an air pistol on 6 July 2013. He has 20 prior convictions. The Garda explained that Towell had struck the cash desk's window while the cashier was searching for a panic button, and that the accomplice fled the scene. Towell was remanded in custody pending sentencing, with a report from the probation and welfare service due in March. The case was prosecuted by Mark Fitzgerald BL and defended by John Kelly BL. The judge, Catherine Murphy, noted this was Towell's first violent offence.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Off-duty garda and dad knocked inept robber off scooter, court hears. Charges or matters: attempted robbery and possession of an air pistol at Paddy Power, Saggart on July 6, 2013. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• July 6, 2013 Incident
• 2015-01-23 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial Theft Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report