Botched bank raiders face jail
Two members of a three-strong gang who lurked outside a bank until it closed and then tried to push and kick their way in have been jailed by Judge Yvonne Murphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
All three members of the gang were caught shortly afterwards in their stolen two-door getaway car after a chase along a route with heavy traffic and a lot of roadworks.
Barry Kelly, aged 27, a father of two, of Kilmartin Road, Tallaght was jailed for 30 months and Raymond Birrell, aged 32, of Slievenamon Road, Drimnagh was jailed for three years, with both sentences backdated to the time they went into custody on September 29, 2003.
Both had pleaded guilty to attempted burglary of the Ulster Bank, Tallaght on September 29, 2003.
Kelly also pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation handgun and Birrell to unauthorised taking of a car and to reckless endangerment on the same date.
Garda Sue Kinsella agreed with defence counsel, Ms Aileen Donnelly SC, that the gang hadn’t acted very cleverly, especially in their getaway attempt.
"It wouldn’t be my choice of a getaway car," Garda Kinsella agreed with Ms Donnelly. Garda Kinsella also agreed with defence counsel that the gang had also tried to getaway along the route they had come which counsel suggested showed how inept the attempt had been.
Kelly had nine previous convictions and Birrell had 66, including three for robbery and he got a four year sentence in 1993 for a firearms offence.
Judge Murphy noted both men had used their time in custody well in attempting to get rid of their drug addictions. Their guilty pleas had also saved a lot of court time.
Garda Kinsella told prosecuting counsel, Ms Caroline Biggs BL, that gardaí had been alerted by witnesses that two men were trying without success to force the bank door.
Kelly had been seen throwing his body repeatedly against the door and the third man kicking it.
Garda Kinsella said she was in a patrol car sent to the area which observed three men in a green car which had been reported stolen and was been driven down Greenhills Road towards Crumlin.
The gardaí put on their blue light and gave chase.
The car wove in and out through heavy traffic and its progress was being hindered by road works. It avoided a "stinger" placed by gardaí to try to stop it until it was "boxed-in" eventually by patrol cars at a roundabout.
Garda Kinsella agreed with Ms Donnelly, for Kelly, that the witnesses who alerted gardaí could clearly see the gang "lurking about" suspiciously outside the bank, having put on wigs and masks.
Garda Kinsella also agreed with Ms Martina Baxter BL, for Birrell, that he had been the driver and made no attempt to escape. He had no weapon, was not the ringleader and was easily led by others.
