Drug addict sentenced in robbery case

A drug addict who robbed a newsagents while unlawfully at large from Wheatfield Prison has been given a six-year prison sentence by Judge Yvonne Murphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

James Carroll (aged 24), of Cromlech Fields, Ballybrack first came to garda attention when seven years old, started taking drugs at 13 and has spent all but 20 months of the last 10 years in detention or prison.

Carroll pleaded guilty to five robberies, an attempted robbery, possession of an imitation firearm and unlawful use of a vehicle on dates between April 06, 2005 and July 01, 2005. He bought drugs such as cocaine and sleeping tablets with the robbery proceeds.

Judge Murphy suspended the last two years of the sentence on condition that he secured a residential drug treatment course under the supervision of the Probation and Welfare Service when released from prison.

Carroll was unlawfully at large from Wheatfield Prison on April 6, 2005 when he robbed €180 from a newsagents while armed with a hammer.

He was arrested for this crime on May 11, 2005 and granted bail but then robbed a total of €1,365 from various shops while armed with knives. He told gardaí that he used the weapons to get money handed over quickly and never intended to hurt anyone.

Ms Lilly Buckley BL, defending, told Judge Murphy that her client had a very difficult family history which led him to being almost neglected as a young boy. He first came to garda attention as a seven-year-old and had served all but 20 months of the last 10 years in detention or prison.

Judge Murphy noted that Carroll had committed a number of the offences while on bail and that although he had only three previous Circuit Court convictions he had a large number of District Court convictions.

She accepted that he had a very serious drug problem and had started taking drugs when he was 13 years old. She further accepted that he had shown remorse and apologised to his victims through gardaí.