Former drug addict gets eight years for armed theft
A recovered drug addict who carried out two armed raids to pay back debts he had run up during his long-standing habit has been sentenced to eight years by Judge Tony Hunt.
Larry Howe (aged 34) of Rossmore Drive, Ballyfermot, had 20 previous convictions in the District Court but wasn't charged with an offence serious enough to be dealt with in the Circuit Court until he was on a methadone programme and was drug free.
He and his accomplice got away with a total of €17,112 after using knives and hammers to threaten staff and customers including holding a knife to the face of an eight month pregnant woman.
Defence counsel, Mr Luigi Rea BL, told Judge Hunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court: "You might have expected my client to come before these courts during the throes of an addiction but it wasn't until he had come out the other end of it and he had to raise money to pay off drug debts."
"It proves the dangers in dealing with drug dealers," replied Judge Hunt.
Howe pleaded guilty to the robbery of the EBS in George's Street, Dun Laoghaire on January 19, 2007 and the robbery of EBS in Rathfarnham Shopping Centre on March 27, 2007.
Judge Hunt said the staff from a nearby bank who witnessed the first robbery and contacted gardai were to "be complimented for their quick thinking".
He said it must have been very upsetting for a pregnant woman to be confronted like this and added that she was understandably concerned for not only her own welfare but that of her unborn baby.
Judge Hunt said that a number of reports before the court indicated that Howe was capable of making a positive contribution to society and he suspended the last four years of the sentence on condition he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for five years on his release from prison.
Mr Rea handed a letter into court written by Howe and Judge Hunt described it as "well written and articulate".
Garda Sean White told prosecuting counsel, Ms Caroline Cummings BL, that the two raiders robbed €13,100 from the EBS Dun Laoghaire after telling staff and customers "this is a raid" and brandishing a knife which one of them held to a customer’s back before threatening staff to "hand over the money or the customers will get it".
Two bank staff members from a nearby premises witnessed the whole raid as they were passing by the EBS and called gardaí, giving a description of a motorbike on which the culprits fled the scene.
Gardaí followed the bike and caught both. A large black-handled knife and the cash were recovered. Howe told gardaí he had been "caught red handed".
Detective Garda David Conroy said Howe acted as the lookout in the Rathfarnham robbery, standing at the door holding a hammer while his accomplice threatened customers with a knife and demanded money.
A total of €4,012 was taken after a knife was held close to the face of the pregnant woman. Gardaí used CCTV footage to identify the two raiders.
Garda Conroy agreed with Mr Rea that Howe relapsed into drug use after his mother died a couple of years ago. He managed to rehabilitate and he then "engaged in this criminal activity to pay off drug debts".
Mr Rea handed a letter into court written by Howe and Judge Hunt described it as "well written and articulate".
