Cork man who set upon off-duty prison officer jailed for nine months for attempted robbery

Man has 32 previous convictions, including six for robbery

The court heard the off-duty prison officer was pushed against a wall during the incident.

An off-duty prison officer was set upon in a late night incident in Cork city centre and today a 51-year-old man was jailed for nine months for attempted robbery.

The accused man, Jeremiah Foley, asked Judge John King through his solicitor Eddie Burke to suspend a portion of the sentence. Judge King refused this application because of what he described as the recidivist nature of the defendant’s offending.

The judge also noted the traumatic effect that this kind of offence could have on a victim and the fact that Foley’s previous convictions included six robberies.

Sergeant Aisling Murphy said the 28-year-old prison officer knew the assailant, Jeremiah (Jerry) Foley, although solicitor Eddie Burke said Foley did not know the injured party and did not know he was a prison officer. Mr Burke said that irrespective of that, Foley acknowledged that he should not have behaved in the manner in which he did.

The incident occurred at 1.20am where he was pushed against a wall, and the defendant forcibly searched his pockets and put him in fear.

Mr Burke said: “He pleaded guilty and apologises. He had no idea who this man was. He should not have behaved in this manner, no matter who he was.

“Alcohol has been a scourge in his life. He never coped with the grief of the loss of a child in an accident. He is not proud of his past. He has on occasions tried to sort out his difficulties with alcohol but possibly slips due to homelessness.” 

Foley, of 12 Castlepark, Ballincollig, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to the charge of attempted robbery on August 31, 2025, at Tobin St, Cork.

Sgt Murphy said he has 32 previous convictions, including six for robbery, two for burglary and 48 for theft.

Detective Garda Orla Moriarty testified at Cork District Court that the injured party hoped that telling the assailant that he was a prison officer would deter him from his actions but it did not have any deterrent effect. She said the injured party was grabbed and forced against a wall where the assailant went through his pockets and forcibly searched him, and his phone was taken.

“He was looking for the injured party’s phone and wallet. He (the injured party) told him he was an off-duty prison officer hoping this would deter him but it did not have the desired effect,” Det Garda Moriarty said.