Corkman who robbed taxi drivers at knifepoint claimed he wanted free trip to Buttevant

Accused said he tried to get a taxi to drive him to Buttevant for free and that he got agitated when he was refused, court heard

Accused was jailed for three years by Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

A young man robbed two taxi drivers at knifepoint in Cork City claimed what he really wanted that evening was a free trip home to Buttevant and now he has been jailed for three years.

Jake Sheeran appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where he was given a sentence of four years with the last year suspended by Judge Helen Boyle following his signed plea of guilty to both robberies.

The accused had smoked a rock of cocaine before committing the offences.

Detective Garda Mark Durcan testified that both alleged robberies occurred on Sunday night October 2 ,2022, in Cork City within just over two hours of each other — one before 10pm and the other soon after midnight.

In the first incident, on October 2, he got into a taxi at Parnell Place in Cork and asked the driver to take him to Kent railway station for a train. When the taxi stopped, the accused got into the space between the two front seats, produced a knife and held it to the driver’s throat.

“The taxi-driver felt a sharp object on his neck and he was told, ‘Move and I will cut your throat’. He was in complete fear and he handed over all his cash — €80 or €90,” Det Garda Durcan said.

“Two and a half hours later, he got into a taxi on St Patrick’s Street and got into the front seat and asked to be taken to the Gold Rush casino on MacCurtain Street.

“When the taxi reached this location, the driver told him the fare was €5.60.

“He pulled out a knife and told the driver, ‘Empty your pockets’. The driver handed over coins. He demanded more, saying, ‘Better give me all your money or I will cut you good’. The driver took €20 coins from the boot of the car and gave it to him,” the detective said.

CCTV captured the accused at the relevant times in respect of both incidents The accused said he tried to get a taxi to drive him to Buttevant for free and that he got agitated when he was refused.

He apologised for both incidents.

He had 42 previous convictions including one for robbery, 14 for causing criminal damage, four for theft, one for assault and one for assault causing harm.

Ray Boland, defence senior counsel, said the 25-year-old was very open about his drug-taking. He was living with his partner and two children in Buttevant. Both offences were motivated by desire to get more drugs to consume during the night, Mr Boland said.

“He is a perfectly pleasant, if not a charming, young man. In his offending there was a fallow period thankfully when he got together with his partner and they had two children. 

"Unfortunately, his partner says he is a different person when he is taking drugs. He has to address his underlying difficulties with substance abuse,” Mr Boland said