A man who ran into a pub and bought a pint after holding up a nearby shop with a knife, has been jailed.

A chronic cocaine addict who sent written apologies to most of the victims of over 30 syringe robbery crimes has been sentenced to nine years in prison by Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

A last-minute effort was made to "buy" a not guilty verdict from the foreman of a jury that last month convicted two Tallaght men of handling a stolen car and setting fire to it.