A HEROIN addict who used a syringe filled with blood from his own groin to rob a video shop in south inner Dublin was jailed for eight years yesterday.
Patrick Taylor had worn a home-made balaclava, but gardai were able to identify him from security footage of the raid, and he was arrested an hour later.
He said he had just been thrown out of his family home by his father, who caught him injecting heroin into his groin, Garda Dermot Moran told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Taylor (29), of John Dillon Street, pleaded guilty to the theft of Pounds 45 from Movie Magic, Patrick Street, on July 8th, 1996. He also admitted raids on the Napper Tandy public house in Bridge Street on March 16th and May 29th, 1996.
Judge Kieran O'Connor noted that Taylor was trying to overcome his drug habit in jail and said he could apply for a review of his sentence in three years' time.
Garda Moran told Mr Bruce Antoniotti, prosecuting, that Taylor was walking on Patrick Street at 10.30 p.m. when he noticed a young woman was working on her own in the shop.
He went home, made a balaclava from a shirt sleeve, and filled a syringe with blood from his groin. He returned to the shop and threatened the woman with the syringe before escaping with the money.
He wanted to buy methadone but was unable to get any and had to settle for heroin. He then went home and his father caught him injecting into his groin.
Garda Ken Donnelly said Taylor got away with Pounds 115 in the March raid on the Napper Tandy pub. On the second occasion, in May, locals intervened and he did not get any money.
Taylor had 15 previous convictions but came from a very decent and hard- working family, the garda told Mr Eamonn Leahy, defending.
Mr Leahy said his client was serving a 15-month sentence in Mountjoy and tests showed he had not abused drugs there. He was hoping to get into the drug-free unit.