Stephen Clinch jailed for Dublin armed robbery

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

Stephen Clinch received a prison sentence of four and a half years for armed robbery. Judge Martin Nolan described the incident as deeply frightening. The proceedings were reported on 9 March 2016.

He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The charges were robbery involving €50,730 and possessing a firearm with the intention of committing robbery. Both offences occurred on 11 May 2015 at The Gate Hotel on Parnell St in Dublin.

According to the Irish Examiner, Clinch held a semi-automatic pistol against a security worker’s head. Following a struggle, gardaí found him restrained by staff, with the cash and weapon beside him.

Garda Niall McCormack told prosecutor Tom Neville that the pistol had been converted to fire live ammunition and was in fair condition. The four 9mm rounds were in good condition, he said, but incompatible with the weapon. A mismatch between metric and imperial measurements prevented them from firing in the pistol, although someone without training might believe they would work.

Clinch told gardaí he had not used heroin for nine years. He denied knowing the pistol was loaded and said he had not wanted to carry out the robbery. He attributed his involvement to an €8,000 debt after drugs entrusted to him for concealment were discovered. He said the amount owed continued to rise.

The court heard about his history of heroin addiction and convictions for 17 robberies and 13 burglaries. His barrister, Michael O’Higgins SC, said Clinch’s earlier offending had funded his addiction, but that he had subsequently spent many years without serious convictions.