More news in brief.
Woman gets nine years for robberies
A 20-year-old woman described as "a serious menace to society" has been given a nine-year sentence by Judge Frank O'Donnell for a number of robberies of young females in the south Dublin area.
Debbie O'Connell, Cromlech Fields, Ballybrack, Co Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery of two women at Foxrock Avenue, on May 30th, 2004, robbery of a woman at Abbey Road, Dún Laoghaire on October 18th, 2004 and the robbery of a woman at Tesco, Ballybrack Shopping Centre, on December 9th, 2005.
Judge O'Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, who suspended the last 5½ years, told her: "You are a serious menace to society who has left a trail of victims." O'Connell has 24 previous convictions and was taken into custody last month after a bench warrant was issued for her arrest when she failed to appear for sentencing on these matters.
Drug dealer jailed for four years
A cocaine addict who was selling drugs to pay off a €22,000 debt has been given a four-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Alan Smith (27), Bangor Road, Crumlin, Dublin, who was unemployed at the time and had a €2,000 per week cocaine habit, told gardaí he had been dealing for about 18 months to help pay off a €22,000 drug debt. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, worth an estimated €11,000, at his home on April 17th, 2006.
One-year term for dangerous driving
A repeat offender who dragged an 82-year-old man from his car and drove off in it was jailed for a year yesterday. The victim was killed a couple of months later in a separate road traffic accident which meant a hijacking charge against his attacker could not be brought.
Jason O'Toole (20), Hogan Rd, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after he had taken the man's car in Palmerstown, Dublin, on September 26th, 2005. Dublin District Court heard the victim was about to park the car in a laneway at the rear of his house when O'Toole dragged him from it. He had 17 previous convictions.
Man held after cocaine seized
A 40-year-old Irish man was arrested at Dublin airport yesterday after 6kg of cocaine with an estimated street value of more than €400,000 was discovered in a case.
He was travelling from South America to Ireland via Frankfurt airport and was arrested as part of a planned operation involving gardaí from the national drugs unit and Revenue officials. Last night he was being detained at Santry Garda station.