A heroin addict who committed three robberies in one hour has been jailed for three years by Judge Yvonne Murphy at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mark Kenny stabbed a young woman twice in the hand with a syringe when he robbed the Statoil service station on Castleknock Road on June 28th, 2001.
Kenny (29), of Croftwood Crescent, Ballyfermot, was arrested after this offence and has been in custody since. His concurrent sentences on all his charges date from his arrest. He pleaded guilty to a series of robbery and attempted robbery charges, the unlawful taking of motor vehicles and the possession of syringes on various dates between July 27th, 2000, and June 28th, 2001. He has 21 previous convictions.
Det Sgt Tom McCarrick said they could not interview him for a few hours following his arrest because of his then violent disposition. Det Sgt McCarrick said that on June 28th Kenny robbed three service stations in one hour in Ballyfermot, Ballymun and Castleknock. He arrested Kenny shortly after the third robbery.
The court heard that all his robberies, which included four on one Castleknock off-licence, involved him purchasing items. As soon as the till was open he would produce a syringe and demand money.
Judge Murphy heard one of his victims tell how her life was ruined by Kenny. She was dragged along the road after he snatched her handbag from a moving vehicle.