Paul Clarke jailed for six years for Lidl armed robbery

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

Paul Clarke was jailed for six years for armed robbery at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 20 October 2023. He robbed a Lidl on the Malahide Road with a handgun on 13 November 2019.

CCTV showed Clarke fire into the ceiling before taking about €1,000 from two open tills. He threatened the shop manager with the gun while seeking access to other tills, then left in a getaway car.

The judge cited Clarke’s guilty plea and apology as mitigating factors, and his previous convictions and use of a live firearm as aggravating factors. He had 115 previous convictions, including convictions for false imprisonment and threatening to kill or cause serious harm.