Man jailed for three years after ‘joke’ knife-point robbery

A man has been jailed for three years for a knife-point robbery of a pizza delivery driver which he later claimed “was just a joke”.

Patrick Maughan (21) of Poddle Close, Kimmage, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery at his address on February 13th, 2018.

Judge Melanie Greally said it was a very serious incident which Maughan did not seem to consider as serious.

“If this was some form of joke then it was a very, very sick joke indeed,” she said. She described the incident as a “frightening threat” which had been taken seriously by the victim.

In interview with gardaí, Maughan said the incident “was just a joke” and said he thought the driver would know he was “messing”. His only previous convictions were for four road traffic offences.

On Thursday, the judge noted that Maughan had engaged to some extent with drug addiction services. She suspended the final two years of a five-year prison term on condition he engage with the Probation Services and participate in a domestic violence programme.

Garda Liam Kearns told Derek Cooney, prosecuting, that in the early hours of the morning a delivery driver for Domino's Pizza arrived to the address in Kimmage and saw Maughan in the driveway.

Garda Kearns said Maughan took the food from the driver and placed it on a nearby wall. When the driver asked him for payment, Maughan put a knife to his throat and demanded the driver give him money.

The driver believed Maughan was going to cut his throat and told him he could keep the pizza for free. A woman who came out of the house then paid the driver for the food and went inside with Maughan.

Garda Kearns agreed with Luigi Rea, defending, that Maughan's family are disgusted by what he did.