Video shop raider threatened to kill staff

A man who falsely imprisoned and threatened to kill two female employees during a video shop robbery has been jailed for six years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Mark McCabe, aged 20, of Marigold Crescent, Darndale, pleaded guilty to threatening to kill and falsely imprisoning the women at Movie Magic in Donaghmede Shopping Centre on March 23, 2004.

McCabe and an accomplice forced the two women into a back room and told they would be shot if they did not do what they were told, while McCabe’s accomplice repeated: "shoot them, shoot them" a number of times.

He committed these offences while on bail for robberies at Artane and Clontarf Xtravision shops in October and November 2003. He also stole sweets valued at €600 from a Mace lock up store in Coolock in March 2004.

McCabe, who pleaded guilty to all charges, was sentenced to a total of six years by Judge Desmond Hogan who suspended the final two years on condition that he enter into a good behaviour bond for three years following his release and undergo a drug treatment programme.

Detective Garda Shane Devlin told Ms Melanie Greally BL, prosecuting, that when McCabe and another man entered the Movie Magic they pushed their way behind the counter and told two female employees that "this is a hold up, we want money".

Det. Garda Devlin said McCabe grabbed one woman by the arm and hair and pushed her into the back room of the shop, telling her he had a gun and would shoot her if she did not open the safe.

Unable to open the safe, McCabe patted the women down and searched their bags. He made off with over €300 in cash and had caused damage valued at €2,000 to the premises.

Det Garda Devlin told Ms Greally the women were "profoundly scarred" by the experience.

McCabe was caught with his "hand in the till" of an Artane Xtravision in October 2003 by off-duty Garda Georgina McKenna who saw him reach over to an untended till.

She recovered €180 from him before he made his escape with a €20 note. He went on to take €25 from the Clontarf Xtravision the next month.

McCabe, who has 29 previous convictions for theft, burglary, criminal damage and handling stolen property charges, also stole sweets valued at €600 from a lock-up store in Coolock village.

He was filmed on CCTV breaking into the Mace lock-up store in Coolock. He told gardaí he owed money to a drug dealer and was paid €150 for the sweets.

Mr Giollaiosa O Lideadha BL, defending, said McCabe had been using a large amount of heroin when he carried out the Xtravision crimes and owed money to drug dealers.

Mr O Lideadha described him as "a mild-mannered youth" when he was not on drugs and told Judge Hogan that McCabe’s father was taking vigorous step to straighten out his son.