A judge recently refused bail for a man charged with the alleged attempted robbery of a shop in Waterford.
The man involved cannot be named for legal reasons as the case was heard at an in-camera sitting of Waterford District Court this month before Judge Kevin Staunton.
Detective Garda Cormac O’Riordan told the court that he arrested the man on Monday 8 June in connection with the attempted robbery of a service station in Waterford city the previous night, on Sunday 7 June. After the man was arrested and charged with alleged attempted robbery, he made no reply to caution, Det Garda O’Riordan said.
Det Garda O’Riordan told the court that at 9pm on Sunday 7 June, a staff member at the till in the shop pressed the panic alarm after a man allegedly entered, produced a knife from a pharmacy bag, and ‘demanded’ that the staff member hand over money.
The man left before property was taken, and Det Garda O’Riordan said Gardaí identified the accused from CCTV footage that showed him allegedly leaving the shop and returning home. It was noted in court that the accused man lives nearby to the premises.
A search of the accused man’s home found a knife along with traces of burned clothing and a pharmacy bag, the Detective said.
Acting for the defendant, solicitor Hilary Delahunty said the CCTV footage examined by Gardaí does not show any face, and Det Garda O’Riordan replied that the person in the footage was masked.
Mr. Delahunty added that his client “hasn’t admitted to anything” and ‘surely’ would have known about CCTV in the premises. The solicitor said there was ‘no direct evidence’ and it was "tenuous circumstantial evidence.”
Mr. Delahunty concluded by acknowledging the charge is a ‘serious’ offence, but said the “evidence is slight.”
Judge Staunton disagreed with Mr. Delahunty and said the evidence is ‘strong.’ The judge said the concerns of Gardaí about the accused living close to the shop are ‘well-founded’.
Judge Staunton decided to refuse bail in the case, and remanded the accused in custody to appear again before Waterford District Court this month via video link.
Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme
Robyn Power
