Karl McDermott jailed for knife-point robbery spree in Finglas

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

Karl McDermott was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight and a half years, with the final year suspended, following a knife-point robbery spree in Finglas, north Dublin. The proceedings were reported on 17 January 2023.

McDermott pleaded guilty to the May 2022 offences.

The court imposed five and a half years for those offences, consecutive to a three-year term for an attempted knife-point robbery at the Circle K on Clonshaugh Road on 3 December 2021. The judge suspended the final year on condition that McDermott keep the peace and engage with the Probation Service for one year.

Garda Ciaran Molony told the court that the May offences included two robberies, three attempted robberies and the hijacking of a pedal bicycle during a 45-minute period up to 8.15am on 4 May 2022. McDermott took the bicycle from a 14-year-old schoolboy while holding a kitchen knife.