Cork bank robber signed off note to cashier with 'Thank you, and am sorry for this', court told

The court heard the accused needed counselling to address his issues and he also said he had to clear a €4,000 drugs debt

The robbery was allegedly carried out at Douglas Village Shopping Centre yesterday. File photo

€6,260 in cash was handed to an alleged bank robber in Douglas, Cork, who presented a note stating that he had a gun and giving precise instructions to the cashier before concluding with: “Thank you, and I’m sorry for this”.

Detective Garda Tom Delaney outlined these allegations in the case against 42-year-old Noel O’Brien of 68 Maryborough Court, Douglas, Cork, who was charged on Thursday with carrying out this robbery at the Bank of Ireland in Douglas yesterday. 

The accused man applied for bail through his solicitor Daithí Ó Donnabháin.

Det. Garda Delaney said in his objection to bail: “Noel O'Brien in my opinion poses a danger to the safety of persons in the community. His chronic addiction to cocaine has caused him to carry out this crime, and without addressing this addiction I believe he will spiral further with his cocaine addiction. 

"Noel O'Brien is not working, and has no way of covering the cost to pay for his addiction. I believe this puts him at significant risk of re-offending and committing further crime to pay for his addiction.” 

Mr O’Brien, who has no previous convictions, became emotional in the witness box in his application for bail: “The first thing is to apologise to everyone I caused harm to… I am here to apologise to the cashier. My threat in that letter is not me.” 

He said he needed counselling to address his issues and he also said he had to clear a €4,000 drugs debt. He said that he felt yesterday that his options were suicide or to do what he did.

Judge John King said it was an extremely serious charge with very strong evidence and he refused bail, remanding the 42-year-old in custody until November 27.

Det. Garda Delaney gave an outline of the allegations in the case: “On November 19, just before 2pm, a male entered Bank of Ireland Douglas Village Shopping Centre. 

"His face was covered over, he handed the teller a note which read: 

Hi I am Jack, I am a mute. Please do not scream or shout. I have a gun in my pocket. I want you to slowly empty the drawer and place all notes in an envelope. Remember stay calm and I will not hurt you. Put the envelope on the counter and make sure there are no trackers or dye packs in the envelope. Wait 5 minutes before sounding the alarm or I will come back. Thank you, and am sorry for this.

“The cashier in the face of this threat of a firearm, and fear of being harmed, handed over €6,260. The male left the bank on foot through Douglas Village Shopping Centre. Gardaí were alerted and attended the scene.

“CCTV was viewed which showed the culprit flee through the shopping centre and go to the toilets in the mall. Some of the clothing worn by the culprit during the robbery was located in the cubicle — jacket, baseball hat, snood and gloves.

“The culprit left the centre in a black and red checked shirt. I identified the male from the CCTV footage as Noel O'Brien of 68 Maryborough Court, Douglas, Cork.” It was further alleged that the defendant then got a taxi home. 

Garda Delaney said the accused later told gardaí that after the robbery he took €4,000 and got a bus where he had to meet unnamed persons to pay off a drugs debt.