Man awaits sentence for masked raid

A 20-year-old man has been remanded in custody pending sentencing for a robbery where masked raiders used hammers to smash up a fast food takeaway in Dublin four years ago.

Stephen McArdle, with an address at Huntstown Wood, in Mulhuddart in Dublin had pleaded guilty to robbery at Abrakebra, on Main Street, in Finglas, on August 21, 2006, the Dublin Children’s Court has heard.

He and his accomplices threatened to “chop up” staff during the botched raid, the court had also heard.

He was aged 15, a juvenile, at the time of the offence and when he was first charged.

However, his case was delayed after failed to turn up to court on earlier dates until he was arrested on foot of a bench warrant last week.

“The employee was quite frightened on the night,” Garda McGrath had said at an earlier stage in the case..

“Three males entered the restaurant and robbed a till and smashed a number of panes of glass,” he had said.

The trio had their faces covered, were armed with hammers, and one accomplice also had a knife. Two of them bolted over the counter and tried to open the till but when they failed they threatened a staff member.

About €2,000 worth of damages were caused to the take-away.

Today, Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned sentencing McArdle for two weeks for a probation report on him to be furnished. A separate assault charge was also put back to the same date.

Earlier in the case he had also been ordered to write a letter of apology to one of the staff members during the raid and to pay compensation.

Counsel said today that the accused had drug addiction problems but wanted to “turn his life around” and get treatment for his problems.

He is also to face sentencing at the Circuit Court tomorrow for a violent disorder which took place in Finglas, in Dublin, on St Patrick's Day 2008.