Ex garda escapes jail after ‘childish’ effort to rob shop

A GARDA who attempted to rob a shop with an imitation firearm was given a three-year suspended sentence yesterday.

The officer, who has since left the force, attempted to rob his local shop in Co Cork while absent without leave from the Kildare Garda station where he was based.

Mario Boersma, 39, with an address at Rosebay Drive, Forest Hill, Carrigaline, was shaking visibly as he attended Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing yesterday.

Detective Sergeant Dave Treacy said that on March 27 last year, Boersma went into Kilmoney Stores in Carrigaline with an imitation firearm — a 6mm calibre repeating air pistol.

He was wearing a hoodie and a woollen hat pulled down like a balaclava. Waving the imitation gun, he demanded money from a female member of staff.

Initially, the staff member thought it was a joke, but when he again demanded money, she ducked behind the counter and closed the till.

Boersma fled empty- handed but was arrested nearby.

He subsequently made a full admission and co-operated fully with the investigation.

Boersma was a serving garda based in Celbridge with 15 years’ service, but had been absent without leave for five months, at that time, with a chronic alcohol problem, said Det SgtTreacy.

Boersma resigned from An Garda Síochána following his arrest and attended a treatment centre in Bruree before Christmas. Unfortunately, he went drinking again and his house was repossessed because he was in mortgage arrears.

The court heard a victim impact statement from the shop assistant, who said she did not bear any ill-feeling towards the defendant and hoped he would get help for his alcoholism. “I feel sorry for him and I do not feel that prison is the answer,” she said.

Defence barrister, Donal O’Sullivan BL, said the attempted robbery was an act of desperation on the part of his client who just had €1.50 in his pocket at the time he committed the offence. He pointed out that the defendant’s drinking had cost him his job as well as his home.

The barrister said that Boersma had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and was genuinely remorseful.

Judge Con Murphy accepted Boersma’s early plea and the difficulties he faced as a former garda.

The judge also noted the shop assistant had been extremely fair and balanced in her victim impact report and didn’t wish to see Boersma jailed.

The judge said Boersma’s approach to the robbery was childish and he noted that he had co-operated fully with gardaí and assisted them in their investigation.

Judge Murphy said the offence itself was very serious but, taking everything into account, he believed the appropriate sentence was three years, which was suspended.

‘I was so proud to wear the uniform’

By Jennifer Hough

HIS grandfather was a garda and he was proud to wear the uniform, but a chronic alcohol problem led 39-year-old Mario Boersma to pull a hoodie over his face in an attempt to rob his local shop.

Having been out of work sick for 12 months and seen his sick pay had stopped, Boersma desperately decided to carry out the attempted robbery.

Speaking to TV news last night, the former garda told how his life had been ruined by alcohol and the breakdown of his marriage.

“I think I said in my statement that I pulled the cap down over my face but I don’t think I even did.

“There was only one person in the store, I pulled out the imitation weapon and she just looked at me and shoved the till shut. I said right I am not taking this any further. I am not going to hurt anyone.”

Boersma ran from the shop and was picked up by gardaí about 30 minutes later.

“I was so proud to wear the uniform and I am just sorry that I let it down.

“I don’t feel very good when I see a uniform or a patrol car going by because it could have been me.

“My grandfather was a guard for 35 years, it is an embarrassment to my family, especially my mother,” he said.

Boersma is now on the dole, and is set to lose his house when the bank repossesses it next month.