Five more years for addict
A crack addict who has spent most of his adult life in jail has been sentenced to another five years term by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for a string of violent robberies and a burglary.
Philip McCann (aged 31), Shancastle Park, Clondalkin pleaded guilty to four counts of robbing a chip shop, a pharmacy and a betting shop and one count of burglary of a house in Lucan between November 2006 and March 2007.
McCann has 20 previous convictions and has served twelve and a half years in prison on robbery and burglary counts alone.
Garda Pauric Jennings of Ronanstown Garda Station told prosecuting counsel, Mr Sean Guerin BL, that over a five day period McCann robbed the same chip shop twice while armed with a knife as well as a pharmacy while armed with a scissors.
He fled with over €130 on March 25 after he jumped over the counter shouting for the owner to open the till and four days later he fled with €17 from the same shop while armed with a 20cm long knife and after he ordered the owner to "open the till or I’ll kill you".
Gda Jennings said that the next day McCann entered Neilstown Pharmacy with a scissors and demanded the staff to "open the f****** safe." The two men working in the shop were able to get outside and hold the door closed, trapping McCann inside.
McCann tried to open the till but couldn’t so kicked and smashed the glass pane of the shop door being held closed by the staff. He then lunged at one of them, taking "five or six swipes" at him with the scissors and cutting his stomach.
He later told gardaí that he spent all the money on crack which he smoked himself.
Gda Jennings said McCann and another man entered the Ladbrokes betting shop in December 2006 and smashed the security glass using a hammer before fleeing with €2,000. He was arrested the following day at his home and admitted his role in the robbery.
McCann was seen in November 2006 entering a home in Lucan by a neighbour who then saw him climb back over the garden wall and run off. The neighbour alerted gardai who spotted him nearby and gave chase. They observed him throw away several pieces of jewellery before they caught and arrested him.
Judge Desmond Hogan said that as McCann was on bail when he committed the robberies in March he had no choice but to impose a consecutive custodial sentence.
Judge Hogan noted he had committed eight breaches of discipline while in prison, including possession of a weapon and that he failed every one of the 15 drug tests he was given.
"At his age this man is not a mere callow youth and he is responsible for his actions," he commented.
He sentenced McCann to two years on the burglary of the house and three years on each count of robbery. He suspended the final year on condition he enter a drug treatment course on his release.
