Young Corkman admits early morning robbery of cleaner on her way to work

It is alleged that the suspect pushed her to the ground, knocking her off her bicycle, and he then threw a punch at her.

The matter had been adjourned a number of times at Cork District Court but on its first mention at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, defence barrister Alan O’Dwyer said the accused man had signed a plea of guilty to the robbery charge. File photo

A young man has confessed to a robbery charge arising out of a reported attack on a 50-year-old woman cycling to work very early in the morning in Cork city.

The matter had been adjourned a number of times at Cork District Court but on its first mention at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, defence barrister Alan O’Dwyer said the accused man had signed a plea of guilty to the robbery charge.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin put sentencing back until September 7 at the circuit court. The defendant, Stephen Mahon, was remanded in custody until Tuesday.

The 28-year-old of Greenwood Estate, Togher, Cork, had been given bail terms at the High Court, having been refused in Cork District Court. Eddie Burke, defence solicitor, said previously that while this was so, the defendant had not been able to satisfy all the terms of the High Court bail.

It was previously alleged that the complainant was on her way to a cleaning job in the early hours of the morning at the time of the incident.

In the initial bail application, it was alleged that the defendant pushed the woman off her bike and punched her in the face when she was on the ground and that she was then robbed of her bicycle.

Detective Garda James Bugler said that the principle ground for the objection was the seriousness of the allegation. The detective said the victim of the robbery was working as a cleaner and was on her way to work at Wilton shopping centre at 3.45am that morning.

“It is alleged that the injured party was cycling to work when the suspect ran after her, pushed her to the ground, knocking her off her bicycle and that he then threw a punch at her." 

The robbery charge relates to an incident at 3.45 in the morning on Thursday, May 20, at Sarsfield Road, Bishopstown, Cork, and involved a bicycle valued €749 owned by the woman.