Courts / Dublin / Report

Customer smashed Yankee candle over salon robber's head, gave chase

Date
2016-02-24
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

In February 2016, Gerard Halpin, aged 40, was sentenced to six and a half years in prison at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for robbing the beauty salon Urban Dolls on 23 December 2014 and for a burglary on 19 December 2013. The court heard that Halpin entered the salon wearing latex gloves and a kitchen knife, grabbed owner Sarah White by the neck, and forced her to open the till. Emma Kelly, a customer who recognised him, stopped the robbery by smashing a Yankee candle over his head. Halpin fled, but Kelly chased him to his father's home, where he was found changing clothes. Garda Adrian Kildea reported that a search of the house uncovered the gloves in an open safe. Halpin, who has 38 prior convictions and a history of drug abuse, denied the robbery and claimed he had only left the house once that day to go to the pharmacy. Gerard Halpin pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Customer smashed Yankee candle over salon robber's head, gave chase. Charges or matters: the burglary which occurred on December 19, 2013. Procedural stage: sentence. Findings: Convicted

When:

Why: A victim impact report from Ms White stated she had lost a lot of business because of the raid as well as the €480 that was stolen. CNI source report

Case subjects

Gerard Halpin

Convicted Person

Charges: the burglary which occurred on December 19, 2013 (Proven)

Plea: Guilty

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted; Gerard Halpin (40) was jailed for six and a half years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the robbery and for breaking into a house and telling the occupant not to scream or he'd kill her. Both sentences are to run consecutively as Halpin was on bail during the robbery.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Topics

Burglary Drugs Stage Sentence Theft

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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