A Dublin teenager who was involved in what gardaí described as a well-planned and well-executed armed robbery of a bank in Tipperary has been jailed for four years.
William Nicholson (18), of Kilmahuddrick Drive, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at yesterday's sitting of Clonmel District Court to the armed robbery of the AIB branch at Main Street, Tipperary, on March 27th.
The defendant also pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a motor-propelled vehicle, contrary to the Road Traffic Act, at Limerick Junction, Co Tipperary, on the same date.
Mr John Walsh, barrister, said that the defendant and another individual, who has been before the courts, entered the AIB bank wearing red balaclavas and demanded cash. One of them had a shotgun, while the other, the defendant, filled a canvas bag with cash. A sum of approximately €68,312 was taken in the raid, which lasted 24 seconds.
The two made their getaway in a black Hyundai car and drove a mile outside the town. They tried to push that car into a river before getting into a silver Mercedes. They then drove to Limerick Junction to catch a train to Dublin, but a large number of gardaí were present and the two were apprehended.
The court heard that Nicholson's partner, Robert Freeman (29), of Deansrath Grove, Clondalkin, was found guilty of armed robbery at a previous sitting of the court and had been sentenced to eight years' imprisonment.
Judge Olive Buttimer, jailing Nicholson for four years, said that she was taking into account the fact that the defendant had pleaded guilty at such an early stage and was not the person with the firearm.