TWO Dublin men who carried out a series of robberies in the north west were each jailed for four years at Sligo Circuit Court yesterday. The court was told that Michael Ward (25) and Mark Doyle (22), both with an address in Clondalkin, stole jewellery and money the value of £3,174 from houses in the Sligo/Mayo area in January.
The defendants were driven to the area by another man, who was not before the court.
They tricked their way into the homes of their victims, a number of whom were elderly. Seven patrol cars were at one stage engaged in the search for them. No violence was used in any of the robberies.
Judge Sean O'Leary said the number of people preying on the elderly in rural Ireland was "extremely distressing" and resulted in a diminution in their lives. The targeting of their homes meant that old people could not rest easy.