Courts / Dublin / Report

'Jekyll and Hyde' offender tried to rob bookies in hazmat suit

Date
2025-10-17

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Paul Cullen, 45, of Crumlin, was sentenced by the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to six years and nine months in prison, with the final 12 months suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to seven offences including assault, robbery, attempted robbery and theft. The judge highlighted a pattern of violent crime, drug use and the use of weapons such as a meat cleaver, screwdriver, claw hammer and an imitation firearm. Cullen's crimes included a violent robbery at a Luas stop where a victim suffered a broken ankle, an attempted robbery at a hotel where he brandished a cleaver, a robbery of Boyle Sports Bookmakers where he stole €7,400, and an attempted robbery at Paddy Power Bookmakers while wearing a white hazmat suit. He also robbed a beauty salon and an estate agency, and was found with a scorched hazmat suit at a mortuary.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 'Jekyll and Hyde' offender tried to rob bookies in hazmat suit. Charges or matters: offences including assault causing harm, robbery, attempted robbery and theft over seven bills; an attempted robbery at George Frederick Handel hotel in Fishamble Street in Dublin 2 on May 9, 2023; an attempted robbery at Paddy Power Bookmakers on James' Street on May 23, 2023 while wearing a white hazmat suit and armed with a claw hammer. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

December 20, 2022 Incident
May 9, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
May 11, 2023 Incident
May 19, 2023 Incident
May 23, 2023 Hearing Or Sentence
Christmas Incident
2025-10-17 Publication

Why: Among items taken from the victim were a mobile phone worth €200 and black watch worth €400, which he was "particularly exercised about" because his father had given to it him. CNI source report

Case subjects

Paul Cullen

Defendant

Charges: offences including assault causing harm, robbery, attempted robbery and theft over seven bills; an attempted robbery at George Frederick Handel hotel in Fishamble Street in Dublin 2 on May 9, 2023; an attempted robbery at Paddy Power Bookmakers on James' Street on May 23, 2023 while wearing a white hazmat suit and armed with a claw hammer (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Crowe imposed a global sentence of six years and nine months and suspended the final 12 months for a period of two years.