Courts / Dublin / Report

Female getaway driver avoids jail

Date
2022-05-05

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Elaine Kelly, 49, of Donaghmede, pleaded guilty to driving away from an armed robbery at an off‑licence in Kilbarrack on 22 October 2018. The court heard she was a vulnerable woman struggling with drug addiction and that she drove the getaway vehicle after the raider abandoned a bicycle. Dashcam footage showed the raider and Kelly exiting a blue car that was later seen pulling into a driveway. Kelly had 13 prior convictions but had not been in contact with the Gardaí since the 2018 offence. Judge Martin Nolan suspended a two‑year prison term on the condition that Kelly keeps the peace and behaves well for two years. The judge noted that Kelly was in fear of the robber, who is serving a separate 14‑year sentence. The sentence was imposed without a custodial term.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Female getaway driver avoids jail. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

October 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
October 22, 2018 Hearing Or Sentence
22 October 2018 Other
2022-05-05 Publication

Case subjects

Elaine Kelly

Defendant

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: After a sentence hearing today, Judge Martin Nolan suspended a two year prison term on condition that Kelly keeps the peace and be of good behaviour for two years. Judge Nolan said that he did not believe that Kelly deserved a prison sentence and that he believes that she was both a vulnerable person and in fear when she acted as a getaway driver.