Courts / Dublin / Report
Convicted armed robber jailed for handbag theft
Summary
Joseph Cole, aged 48, was sentenced to a partially suspended three‑year term for stealing a handbag from a woman walking home with her two‑year‑old daughter on 14 October 2011. The handbag contained €1,100 in cash and other items, none of which was recovered. Cole, who had 42 prior convictions including a seven‑year term for armed robbery in the UK (1994) and an eight‑year term for attempted robbery and false imprisonment in Ireland (2002), pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Melanie Greally back‑dated the sentence to the date of his custody entry and suspended the balance. She noted his apparent desire to leave his criminal past behind and his progress in dealing with drug addiction, citing a positive probation report. The incident was captured on CCTV; Garda David Chapman identified Cole and a partner as suspects, and they were arrested.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Convicted armed robber jailed for handbag theft. Charges or matters: theft of a handbag at Benburb Street on October 14, 2011. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 14, 2011 Hearing Or Sentence
- March 2015 Other
- 2016-02-12 Publication
Why: One of the men stood in front of her, near her daughter in order to distract her while Cole grabbed her handbag from the buggy. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: theft of a handbag at Benburb Street on October 14, 2011 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Melanie Greally backdated the sentence to when he entered custody on the matter and suspended the balance. At the sentence hearing last year, she noted that it had appeared Cole wanted to put his criminal behaviour behind him and get on with a normal life.
Places mentioned
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