Heroin addict gets seven years for robbery

A recovering heroin addict who robbed a man of his phone, cash and bank cards after his victim had invited him up to his hotel room has been given a seven-year sentence with the final three years suspended.

Colm Ryan (aged 23) of North King Street, Dublin 7, met the man, who had travelled from the west of Ireland for a training course, in a city centre fast food restaurant before they went back to his room in Jury’s hotel.

While there Ryan repeatedly punched his victim knocking him back on the bed. He then ordered him to hand over his cash and wallet before demanding his PIN code from him, threatening to kill him if he did not do so.

He robbed €300 from the man before withdrawing a further €600 from his account.

Ryan pleaded at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery and theft almost two years ago on August 11, 2008.

He also admitted to robbing two teenagers on a bus on November 12, 2008, while he was on bail for the first offence.

Judge Patrick McCartan accepted that both crimes were carried out in order to feed Ryan’s heroin addiction but said the first robbery had been “nasty and malicious, beating a man who had befriended him”.