Garda recognises knifeman from CCTV image a week later
But, despite the perfect “still” image, the knifeman who stole €160 from a Subway outlet was — unusually for Limerick — not known to gardaí as a robber.
It was, however, a week later when a detective, driving his car, spotted an oncoming motorist and realised it was person in the CCTV image.
The man, who was clearly identified in the shop’s CCTV, accosted a worker who moments earlier served him tea and a snack before making off with €160 from the cash till.
The man had entered the Subway outlet on January 9, 2010. During the robbery, he put a knife to a staff member while holding her with his other hand.
The culprit, at the time, apologised to her saying he needed the money.
A week later, the mystery of the unknown robber was unravelled when Det Garda Brian Culbert was off duty, driving in his own car.
A glance at a driver of an oncoming car at Fr Russell Road drew his mind back to the Subway CCTV that he had viewed over and over again with colleagues at the Roxboro Road.
He noted the car registration and the name Mark O’Halloran of Bru na Grudain, Castletroy, came up as the owner of the vehicle.
On meeting O’Halloran at his address the following day, gardaí knew they had their man.
O’Halloran, aged 33, had never been in trouble in his life up to that day and, yesterday, at Limerick Circuit Court he pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery.
Det Garda Culbert said: “When I spotted him driving, I knew straight away he was the person on the CCTV.”
He said the staff member at the outlet was afraid for her safety when O’Halloran held a knife to her.
Michael Collins, defending, said O’Halloran was suffering from depression at the time and had never come to the notice of the gardaí previously.
Judge Carroll Moran said O’Halloran did not have the usual profile of people coming before his court— being aged 33 and never before in trouble.
He added: “Most people who commit crimes like this have a long list of previous convictions and that is what is unusual in this case.”
A medical report handed into court indicated O’Halloran had been suffering from depression, but he was not suffering from any psychiatric disorder.
Judge Moran said the appropriate sentence because of the plea of guilty and the fact the accused had no previous record was three years jail. However, in view of the submissions by Mr Collins, on O’Halloran’s behalf, the judge said he would put O’Halloran under the supervision of the probation service and adjourned the matter for one year.
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