A man who committed robberies which his defence described as "chilling" will be sentenced next month at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
George Murray (26), of Drumheath Grove, Mulhuddart, admitted armed robbery at Eurospar shopping centre in Hartstown on August 21st, 2002, during which he threatened a secondary school girl with a hammer.
He also admitted robbery and false imprisonment of two students at Clifden Court apartments on Ellis Quay as well as the arson of a stolen vehicle at Wellview Avenue, Mulhuddart on May 30th, 2003.
Garda Oliver Hackett told the court Murray was one of four raiders who entered the Eurospar in Hartstown in August 2002. He said the victims were in fear of their lives as the masked men took €1,240 from tills. Murray went to the off-licence section with his hammer and kicked the two females working behind the counter, one of whom was a schoolgirl, as he took money from the till.
Det Garda Frank Tracey earlier told the court that Jim Grimison and Phillip McDonagh were celebrating the end of first year college exams in Dublin city centre on the evening of May 29th, 2003.
Judge Joseph Matthews heard the students met two women in the Westmoreland Street area in the early hours of the morning. They invited the women back to Mr McDonagh's apartment on Ellis Quay. The women left the doors ajar so Murray and his accomplice could enter.
Murray and the other man burst into the apartment and ordered Mr Grimison and Mr McDonagh to the floor.
Garda Tracey said Mr Grimison, a diabetic, was told to empty his pockets as a knife was placed to his throat. He heard one of the burglars shout "just shoot him" before he was tied up and put into a wardrobe. Mr McDonagh was also tied up and placed under an overturned couch.
George Birmingham, defending, said aspects of his client's crimes were "frankly chilling".