A man armed with a blood-filled syringe dropped his passport on the ground and left it behind him following two bungled raids in Co Mayo, a court heard yesterday.
Judge Rory MacCabe was told at the Circuit Criminal Court, sitting in Castlebar, that Cory Byrne (26), Brighton Terrace, Bray, Co Wicklow, attempted unsuccessfully on July 28th, 2011, to rob St Colman's Credit Union, Claremorris, and a local "cash for gold" premises.
Byrne, who was arrested afterwards at the local railway station, pleaded guilty to the offences.
Garda David Brandley gave evidence that a syringe-wielding Byrne told credit union employees: "Give me the money and I won't harm you."
He said Byrne then went to the “cash for gold” shop, where he told staff: “There’s Aids in this ... Give me the money.”
Garda Brandley said Byrne, who had failed to get any money in either premises, had dropped his passport at one of the crime scenes.
Judge MacCabe, who said it was clear from a probation report that the accused’s life was forged in chaos, put back sentencing in the case until January next.