A man with a mental age of eight held up a bar owner and then tried to escape on a bus, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court had heard.
Anthony Stout (30), of Ferrigcarrig Drive, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and having a sawn-off shotgun at Malahide Road on April 22nd, 1996.
Jason Morgan (26), of Moteview Gardens, Coolock, also pleaded guilty to the same offences.
Det Garda Andrew Manning told the court that the two jumped into the car of Mr Hugh Granger, owner of Granger's bar on Malahide Road. Mr Granger was leaving the bar with the day's takings. He pressed on the horn of his car and alerted passers-by, his son, and staff in the bar.
The raiders fled and hid in the garden of a house in nearby Copeland Avenue. They ran through a number of gardens and were eventually arrested on Howth Road. Det Garda Manning said the two had planned to get a bus home afterwards but were unable to do so.
Judge Frank O'Donnell said it was ridiculous that people like Stout were given suspended sentences and then committed crimes soon afterwards.
He adjourned sentencing until March 24th.