A MAN who said he robbed a building society so that his mother could travel to a funeral in England has had the balance of his 5 1/2 year prison sentence suspended by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Rodney Haynes had only recently been released from a 3 1/2 year sentence when he carried out the robbery at Hollyhill branch of the First National Building Society (ENBS) in Cork on July 19th, 1994, using an imitation gun.
He had spent nine of the last 10 years from his 15th birthday in institutions and had been a serious abuser of ecstasy since 1991, the court had been told earlier.
Haynes (26), from Dunmanus Park, Cork, was jailed in February 1995 after he pleaded guilty to stealing £2,760 from the FNBS. He had been in custody since the date of the offence. The sentence had been entered for review.
Judge Cyril Kelly said he would accede to a proposal from the Probation and Welfare Service to release Haynes now on strict conditions, including a five year bond to stay out of trouble.
He ordered Haynes not to contact five named FNBS officials and to remain under Probation Service supervision.
Haynes is also to attend Arbour House Drug Treatment Centre, be assessed for an intensive probation scheme, which starts next April, and sign on at Gurranabraher Garda station.
Det Sgt Denis O'Shea told the 1995 hearing that Haynes robbed the FNBS just before closing time.
Gardai searched the area and Haynes was found under a bed in a house in which he had no right to be. Some of the money was found under him and cheques had the FNBS stamp and that day's date on them.
A balaclava and a coat which matched those described as having been worn by the robber were also recovered. The imitation gun was found near the office. Haynes agreed he had used it.
Del Sgt O'Shea agreed with Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC (with Mr Brendan Grehan), defending, that Haynes said he carried out the robbery to get funds so his mother could go to a family funeral in England. One of the FNBS staff recognised the gun was only an imitation one.