Warren Brennan given consecutive sentences totalling seven years, with two suspended

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

Judge Catherine Murphy imposed consecutive sentences totalling seven years on Warren Brennan, suspending the final two years on strict conditions. The proceedings were reported on 31 January 2017.

Brennan pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery. The robbery occurred at Alderwood Park, Tallaght, on 27 October 2015.

He also pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary at a bookmakers on Lombard Street, Dublin city, and resisting a garda. Those offences occurred on 20 December 2014. Brennan was on bail for the aggravated burglary charge when he committed the Tallaght robbery.

Wearing a motorcycle helmet and carrying a claw hammer, Brennan targeted a 71-year-old man who had withdrawn €5,000 to give to his family. When the man resisted, Brennan repeatedly struck his head and body with the hammer. He punched the victim in the face and bit his thumb before fleeing with the cash.

The victim was released from hospital with no serious problems. In his victim impact report, he said seeing a hammer or motorcycle helmet brought back memories of the attack.

The report said Brennan carried a kitchen knife during the bookmakers offence and tried to stab gardaí attempting to arrest him. He had 54 previous convictions. In 2011, he was jailed for three years for an attempted robbery during which he held a gun to a shop assistant’s head.

Judge Murphy described the pensioner robbery as “particularly nasty” and said Brennan used “gratuitous violence”. She described both crimes as well thought out and deliberate.

Sean Gillane SC, defending, said Brennan had a difficult childhood and was raised by his maternal grandparents. Counsel said his grandfather’s death during Brennan’s early teens led to a loss of direction, daily abuse of serious drugs and offending.