Donegal post office raider apologises to victim

A man who was part of a gang who allegedly terrified a post mistress during an armed robbery in Co Donegal has apologised to the woman.

Noel Lavy was one of three men who appeared at Letterkenny District Court today in relation to a robbery at Manorcunningham Post Office last Saturday morning.

A sum of money was stolen from the post office when three men, armed with knifes and sledgehammers, threatened staff. They fled the scene in a van, which was later stopped by gardaí.

The court heard that when charged, Mr Lavey (36), with an address at Ballymagowen Avenue, Derry, said: "Sorry, it was all a bit of madness. We were just trying to get more drugs. Tell the woman I said I was sorry."

No details of the robbery were given by gardaí in court.

Mr Lavey and two other men - David Knight (36) of Melmore Gardens in Creggan, Derry and Joseph McMullan (25), of Kavanagh Court, Derry - were charged with four different offences relateed to the robbery.

They were charged with stealing €2,920 in cash from Manorcunningham Post Office, handling stolen cash to the value of €1,510, allowing themselves to be carried in a Royal Mail van and causing damage to Manorcunningham Post Office.

The court was told that some of the men were on prescription drugs at the time of the alleged robbery.

All three men were remanded in custody to Harristown Court this Friday.