Man who carried out robbery six years ago in Cork gets suspended sentence

The offence happened at Lower John Street in Cork in February 2019

The judge imposed a sentence of two and a half years backdated to October 11, as the defendant was in custody since that date, but suspended the remainder of the term to allow him to return to Malta. File picture: Larry Cummins

A 48-year-old man who fled the country after robbing another man when they were both in a car at Lower John Street in Cork in February 2019 has been sentenced.

Aleksandrs Bonasevskis fled the country during the investigation but he was brought back to Cork by means of a European arrest warrant.

Mr Bonasevskis who had an apartment at West Beach, Cobh, County Cork, pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to a charge of robbery of another man who was assaulted in a car and robbed on February 6, 2019, at Lower John Street in Cork city.

Detective Sergeant Kieran O’Sullivan testified that at 10pm on February 6, 2019, the injured party, who was 32 years old, met with the accused man at the Topaz garage on Leitrim Street.

“The injured party sat into his car as front seat passenger. The car was driven to the Mills apartments and the injured party was in conversation with the accused. It got volatile and the injured party was slapped across the face with the accused man’s open hand.

His Latvian passport, bank cards and phone, with a total value of €430 were taken. The injured party reported the matter to gardaí. The injured party was known to the accused.

“On February 20, 2019, the accused was arrested at West Beach in Cobh. He accepted responsibility for what occurred — and that the injured party received a slap across the face.

“A file was prepared in relation to the incident. We subsequently went looking for the accused. He left the jurisdiction. He was placed on an alert (for arrest internationally). 

"The authorities in Malta came across him. On October 20 this year he was extradited from Malta to Cork and charged the following day with robbery,” the detective said.

Brendan Kelly, defence barrister, said: “He is sorry for his actions. He is sorry for the assault. He had an issue with the person at the time but that does not excuse his actions. 

"He wants to leave the jurisdiction as soon as he is released so that he can return to working in Malta.” 

Judge Dermot Sheehan noted that the case dated back to 2019 and that Det. Sgt O’Sullivan had confirmed through police in countries where the accused had been living that there were no convictions against him there.

In all the circumstances the judge imposed a sentence of two and a half years backdated to October 11, as he was in custody since that date, but suspended the remainder of the term to allow him to return to Malta.