Cork man who robbed UCC student got away with €6 and left victim with €50 note

Accused saw €50 note in victim's wallet and asked for it but did not take it when student said he needed the money, court heard

The crime was committed on April 21 at Lower John Street, Cork, when the victim was on the way to his rented home on St Patrick’s Hill. Picture Denis Minihane

A 34-year-old student at UCC was robbed on his way home but the man who robbed him only got away with €6 and did not take a €50 note when the victim said he needed this cash.

Detective Sergeant Kieran O’Sullivan said Ian Heaphy was carrying some kind of implement when he robbed the student. He demanded cash, and the student took €1 out of his pocket. Heaphy said that was not enough and the student then took out his wallet and took a €5 note and gave it to him.

“There was another €50 note in the wallet which Mr Heaphy saw and asked for it but the injured party said he needed it,” Det Sgt O’Sullivan said.

Heaphy fled from the scene and did not take the €50 note.

Defence barrister Paula McCarty said: “He had an opportunity to take more money but when the victim told him he needed it he did not take if from him. In this way, while it is a very serious offence, there was some element of him trying to hold back.” 

Judge James McCourt agreed this was a mitigating factor in the case: “When you saw the €50 note in his wallet you declined to steal it – to take it. That suggests that what you did was out of character.” 

Under duress to repay a €1,000 drugs debt

Ms McCarthy said while the accused had a lot of previous convictions they were not for crimes of violence and the only reason he carried out this robbery was that he was under duress to repay a €1,000 drugs debt.

Ian Heaphy, 33, of 91 Bakers Road, Gurranabraher, Cork, pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to the single count of robbery.

The crime was committed on April 21 at Lower John Street, Cork, when the victim was on the way to his rented home on St Patrick’s Hill.

Defence barrister Paula McCarthy said the accused was engaging with an addiction counsellor.

Judge James McCourt noted the maximum penalty for robbery was up to life imprisonment.

“You robbed €6 from the injured party on April 21 this year. While it took you until the third interview with gardaí to proffer full admissions, you did so eventually and pleaded guilty to the offence.

110 previous convictions

“Certainly, rehabilitation is required in your case. You suffered from the persistent problem of substance abuse. And you have 110 previous convictions. But one has to go back to 2009 for burglary offences.

“You have been free of the notice of guards for over 10 years."

He was highly intoxicated on the night, he had no recollection of events but he admitted it when it was shown to him on CCTV.

Det Sgt O’Sullivan said the victim thought Heaphy had a knife but he could not be sure. The detective said it was not clear from CCTV what was in his hand. Ms McCarthy BL said Heaphy told her it was a torch.