A robber with 228 previous convictions who carried out a knife-point raid at a Dublin petrol station has received a three-year and three-month prison sentence, with the final six months suspended, reports Breaking News.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the victim later left her job as a result of the robbery, reports Breaking News.
Lee O’Brien, aged 39, of Reuben Walk, Rialto, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to robbing Circle K on Dundrum Road, Dundrum, Dublin 14, on 3 June 2021.
O’Brien has amassed 228 previous convictions, including offences for robbery, possession of knives, theft, burglary, assault, as well as drugs and road traffic matters, and he was not on bail at the time of this offence as he had recently been released from prison, reports Breaking News.
When passing sentence on Friday, Judge Orla Crowe said the offence had been deliberate and organised, noting that O’Brien had changed his clothes and brought a knife to the shop.
She said it was a deeply frightening incident for the victim, which had an impact on her employment, reports Breaking News.
Judge Crowe said the woman had been providing a service to the public and was forced to deal with this behaviour.
She noted that since being taken into custody, O’Brien had attempted to detox and was seeking a suspended portion of the sentence, adding that she took into account his apology, reports Breaking News.
She also said the case had been delayed by Covid and could have been dealt with sooner, but noted that O’Brien had taken a trial date, failed to appear and was subject to a bench warrant.
Judge Crowe imposed a sentence of three years and three months, suspending the final six months, reports Breaking News.
Sergeant Donal Tully told prosecuting counsel Liam Dockery BL that O’Brien approached a staff member at the counter armed with a knife and demanded all the notes from the tills, with €350 handed over.
Sgt Tully said CCTV footage showed O’Brien running into an apartment where he changed clothes before leaving on a bicycle, and that a backpack recovered from where he was seen lingering behind a tree contained a cap and hoodie with his DNA, reports Breaking News.
O’Brien was identified from CCTV footage and arrested in June 2023.
The injured party did not submit a victim impact statement, but the court was told she left her job following the incident, reports Breaking News.
Sgt Tully agreed with defence counsel Karl Monahan BL that the case had been delayed due to Covid and that O’Brien had already been sentenced for offences that pre-dated and occurred around the same period.
He also agreed that O’Brien has long-standing drug problems and that much of his offending was connected to addiction, reports Breaking News.
Mr Monahan told the court that his client had a difficult upbringing and began experimenting with drugs at a young age after spending time in an industrial school, later developing a heroin addiction and committing crimes to fund his drug use.
He said O’Brien’s life had been severely affected by drugs and that he was exhausted by the cycle he was trapped in, reports Breaking News.
Counsel said his client apologised for the offence and for the shock caused to the victim, adding that O’Brien was hopeful of putting his life back in order.
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