Woman who chauffeured ex to rob two shops has sentencing adjourned

A young mother who drove her ex-boyfriend - armed with her son’s toy gun - to rob two shops so that he could repay his so-called "drug debts" has had her sentence adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Lisa Reilly (aged 25) and her ex-boyfriend, who comes before the courts later this year, committed the two offences within 20 minutes, using her Nissan Micra as a getaway car.

Reilly, of Belcamp Grove, Priorswood, pleaded guilty to the attempted robbery of Scribbles Newsagents, Drumcondra and the robbery of Centra,Cromcastle Road on September 30, 2007.

Judge Frank O’Donnell ordered a probation report and adjourned sentencing until October.

Detective Garda Nicola Lowry told Ms Tara Burns BL, prosecuting, that when Reilly’s boyfriend, armed with the toy gun, failed to get any money at Scribbles they drove to the Centra store.

Reilly entered it to have a look around and returned to tell her boyfriend there were not many people present. He left the car to rob the store, assaulting a staff member in the process, and they escaped with €900.

Det. Gda Lowry said there was clear CCTV footage of the offences and Reilly and her boyfriend, who was known to gardaí, were arrested together a short time later.

Reilly initially denied involvement in the robberies but eventually admitted her role. She said her boyfriend owed a lot of money to drug dealers and both of them had received threats to their lives.

Det. Gda Lowry said Reilly had four previous convictions for minor offences.

Defence counsel, Mr Conor Devalley SC, said Reilly had got involved with her then boyfriend and with drugs after losing her job in a bakery but had shown an ability to stay clear of drugs when away from him.