Man gets seven years for syringe-point robbery

A convicted rapist who robbed two taxi-drivers at syringe-point and drove off in one of their cars has been jailed for seven years by Judge Patrick McCartan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Michael Whelan (aged 27) was jailed for six years in 2002 by Mr Justice Paul Butler at the Central Criminal Court for raping a 16-year-old girl in a Dublin park. He had 16 other previous convictions.