Sex-tape blackmail prompts 'inside job' raid at Woodies DIY

A Dublin doorman has been jailed for three years for stealing almost €60,000 from Woodies DIY during an “inside job” robbery.

The court heard that the raid on the Coolock branch of the DIY shop was staged by the manager and the doorman and both men later shared the stolen cash.

Trevor Knowles (aged 40) of McAuley Avenue, Artane, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the theft of almost €60,000 from Woodies DIY on the Malahide Road on June 17, 2009.

Knowles’ accomplice in the robbery was the manager of the branch, Thomas McDermott, and the two men worked together to carry out the theft.

McDermott (aged 27) of Rockmarshall, Jenkinstown, Dundalk was given a three-year suspended sentence in October 2010 for his role in the robbery after €27,450 was recovered during a search of his house.

McDermott claimed he staged the robbery because he was being blackmailed by a lady he met in Thailand who had videotaped them having sex.

Garda Neill Plunkett told Monika Leech BL, prosecuting, that McDermott left the alarm off, the premises unlocked and allowed Knowles to punch him in the face and tie him up to make it look like a real robbery.

Knowles walked out of the building with a bag containing €58,092 in cash, €1,065 in cheques and €130 in vouchers.

The court heard that none of Knowles’ share of the money has been recovered.

Gda Plunkett said that Knowles initially denied being involved with planning the robbery, and claimed he had simply been paid €2,000 to collect a “heavy bag” from the shop.

“I took a bag but didn’t know what was in it,” he said, adding: “I didn’t care to take a look in it.”

Knowles changed his plea to guilty during his trial in March when faced with an “overwhelming” amount of evidence against him.

Gda Plunkett agreed with Breffni Gordon BL, defending, that Knowles has no previous convictions and is a family man.

Mr Gordon said his client was “very, very sorry” for his role in the robbery and also for the way he conducted his defence to the charges.

Judge Patrick McCartan pointed out that McDermott was “given a chance” and received a suspended sentence because almost all of the money had been recovered.

Judge McCartan began giving his sentence but was interrupted after a couple of minutes when Knowles offered to get a bank loan to pay off the money he had stolen.

The judge said he was not prepared to entertain or consider it, and insisted that it was too late for negotiations as he was in the process of handing out his sentence.

He said the two men had “worked in cahoots” to steal “a significant sum of money” and pointed out that Knowles had initially tried to play down his involvement in the robbery.

“He suggested he was merely only a runner, but ultimately it was a joint enterprise,” he said.

“I’m told the money is gone” he said, adding “It’s hard to imagine it had been spent in that time.”

Judge McCartan sentenced Knowles to five years in prison and suspended the final two years.

Mr Gordon said Knowles initially pleaded not guilty because he believed it was his only chance of avoiding prison.

Mr Gordon said his client had an unblemished record up to the age of 40 and argued that he had three different offers of employment if he could avoid prison and receive a non-custodial sentence.

He said it was “highly unlikely” his client will ever come before the courts again based on his intense fear of going to prison.

Ciaran Gray, who is the owner and general manager of Sin Nightclub in Temple Bar, was called to give a character reference on behalf of Knowles.

He said he had employed more than 25 head doormen over the years, but Knowles was the best.

“I didn’t come here lightly today and I don’t condone his behaviour,” he said, before describing the robbery as “way out of character”.

Mr Gray was willing to give a €5,000 loan, which would be taken out of future pay cheques, to help Knowles pay off the money he had stolen.