Heroin addict gets 10 years for armed robberies

A chronic heroin addict who robbed one premises twice in four days during a spate of eight armed robberies has been given a 10 year sentence by Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Patrick O’Connell (aged 31) of Saint Nathy’s House, Churchtown was 12 when he began abusing drugs and was on High Court bail when he robbed the first of eight premises on January 18, 2005.