Corkman jailed for robbing same shop seven years after initial robbery

The shopowner said: “The same male who robbed us in 2015 was the same male who carried out the robbery on April 8, 2022. This has made me question the judicial system in our country."

32-year-old Martin Doyle of Mount Eden Rise, off Blarney Street, Cork, was jailed for three years for the most recent robbery. File picture: Larry Cummins

A small shop in Cork city centre was robbed in April 2015 and then in April last year the same raider returned with a blade and carried out another robbery at the same store.

32-year-old Martin Doyle of Mount Eden Rise, off Blarney Street, Cork, was jailed for three years for the most recent robbery. Judge Colin Daly imposed a sentence of four years with the last year suspended at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

The owner of Fitzgerald’s shop on Pembroke Street, Mr Ed Fitzgerald, said in a victim impact statement that he was left wondering about the judicial system when the same raider returned and carried out another robbery at his family-owned store seven years after robbing them before.

Mr Fitzgerald said he was very proud of the fact that it has been in the family for generations with a loyal customer base.

“I am very aware of the change in social conformity and the increase in crime which sometimes comes with it. In April 2015, we were victims of a robbery which was carried out by a male within our shop in the middle of the day. I was working that day and that incident had a profound effect on me personally.

“I could not believe that it happened to our small shop. I never thought in my lifetime that it would happen again to us. I installed excellent CCTV cameras at a huge cost to us in  the hope it may deter any would-be criminals – I was very wrong. On April 8, 2022, our shop again was robbed by a male. 

Although there was a large sum of money taken during a difficult economic period and no one was physically harmed, it is the act itself which has devastated us. It has dented my belief in people’s morality and decentness.

"We have prided ourselves in our warm welcome to customers and our friendly banter but this has been replaced with being on a constant state of alert and a constant state of suspicion when people enter. I have no doubt that this has affected our business.

“To make matters even worse, the same male who robbed us in 2015 was the same male who carried out the robbery on April 8, 2022. This has made me question the judicial system in our country. I would like to thank the gardaí, and in particular, Detective Garda Bryan Murphy, for this thorough investigation and for the support we received since the robbery.” 

Detective Garda Des Cogan said that as well as carrying out this robbery, Martin Doyle turned up at Costcutters on Washington Street, Cork, three days earlier with his face masked and carrying a knife and he got away with a €150 worth of scratch cards and tobacco.

Defence barrister, Emmet Boyle, said the accused said he was sorry as soon as he was arrested for the robberies, he co-operated with the investigations and pleaded guilty.