A man has been jailed for ten years at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a string of armed robberies, including a raid on a Virgin cinema where £19,000 was stolen.
James Grimes (22), from Wolfe Tone Close, Dublin 1, pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery, one count of possession of a firearm and one count of aggravated burglary.
The offences occurred between November 1999 and January 10th, 2000 after he had been released early from an eight year sentence.
Sergeant John Stratford, Store Street Garda Station told prosecuting counsel Mr Adrian Mannering BL, that on December 5th, 1999, Grimes entered the Virgin cinema on Parnell Street with an accomplice who was carrying a sawn off shotgun.
They hid in a toilet beside the cash office where they put balaclava masks on. When they heard the door of the cash office open they forced their way inside. Mr Grimes and his accomplice told the staff to lie on the floor and demanded money.
The safe in the cash office was already open when the two raiders entered. They took £19,000 from the safe and fled from the building via a fire escape to the getaway car.
Sgt Stratford said Mr Grimes was arrested the following morning in a residence in Summerhill and £8,200, which was his share of the proceeds, was recovered. He was taken to Store Street where he made a statement admitting his role in the robbery.
Detective Sergeant Francis Sweeney told Mr Mannering that Mr Grimes was involved in an aggravated burglary and two post office robberies on January 10th, 2000.
Mr Grimes' other offences included a raid on a travel agent in Phibsborough on November 13th, 1999 where £900 was taken. There was also a robbery at a Blessington Street clothes shop.
Judge Kieran O'Conner said Mr Grimes' behaviour was appalling and he put a lot of people in fear. He set his sentence for review on March 14th, 2005.