A man who posed as a member of the Legion of Mary, and used religious pictures while stealing cash from pensioners, has been jailed for six years by Judge Elizabeth Dunne at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Anthony Connors (25), from Tulip Court, Darndale, and a female accomplice also posed as workers for Age Concern, other charities and Dublin Corporation, when they preyed on their victims in old people's homes.
Connors pleaded guilty to robbery and burglary at various old people's homes in and around Clontarf and Whitehall between October 23rd and October 28th, 1998.
The court heard that among their victims was an 88-year-old woman at Thorndale Court old people's home on Collins Avenue from whom they stole £110 and a pension book; a 66-year-old man at St John's Court old people's home whom they robbed of £215 and a credit card; and a 96-year-old invalid woman living alone on Malahide Road. They took £15 from her, but his accomplice handed £5 back before they left.
Det Garda Joe Enright said Connors had a large number of previous convictions and was heavily involved in abusing heroin at the time. A warrant had been issued for the arrest of his accomplice.