Joseph Collins remanded in custody pending finalisation of robbery case

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Joseph Collins pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of robbery at Boyles Sports in Finglas on 27 November 2023. Judge Orla Crowe remanded him in custody until 3 March 2025, when the case was to be finalised.

Detective Garda Dwayne O’Brien told the court that Collins entered the betting shop at about 7pm, approached the counter and demanded money before putting a Stanley blade under the counter glass. The court heard that the blade was a foot from the employee’s face. The employee, who said he was afraid and thought of his child at home, handed over €280.

The detective said gardaí identified Collins from CCTV footage and later arrested and charged him. He agreed with defence counsel David Fleming that Collins had a long-standing problem with alcohol and drugs and had previously entered residential rehabilitation.

Mr Fleming said Collins had asked him to apologise to the employee and a co-worker, was deeply ashamed and had completed a residential programme at Coolmine Treatment Centre. Counsel asked the court to consider that Collins had no history of violence.

Judge Crowe noted Collins’s rehabilitation work and said the garda had described the behaviour as unusual for him. She directed that a probation report be prepared.

This report covers an earlier stage of the case. Later developments are not reported here.