Courts / Dublin / Report

Violent criminal jailed for armed robbery where imitation gun was pointed at victim's head

Date
2015-12-08

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a 2015 armed robbery at a Spar on Stiles Road, Dublin, Christopher Coakley (24) and an accomplice forced the manager to give them the shop keys, dragging her along the aisles while an imitation gun was held to her head. The robbery involved the alarm being triggered and the victim being held by the neck and pulled to deactivate it. Coakley pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and criminal damage, and received a six‑year sentence. He also admitted to assaulting Gardaí, threatening a woman named Anne Walsh, and threatening to damage her property, for which he was sentenced to two and a half years and three and a half years, concurrent with the robbery term. The court noted the victim's ongoing distress and the €4,500 damage to the shop shutters. Coakley has 94 prior convictions and is currently serving a separate sentence for hijacking, due for release in July 2017.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Violent criminal jailed for armed robbery where imitation gun was pointed at victim's head. Charges or matters: robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and criminal damage at Spar on June 11, 2015. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

June 11, 2015 Incident
May 15, 2015 Other
July 2017 Incident
2015-12-08 Publication

Case subjects

Christopher Coakley

Defendant

Charges: robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and criminal damage at Spar on June 11, 2015 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: He was sentenced to two and a half years and three and a half years for these crimes. Coakley is currently serving a sentence for hi-jacking and is due for release in July 2017.