TWO MEN tried to rob a bank while one was dressed as a wealthy woman in a wheelchair, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Martin Collins (21) arrived at the bank in an ill-fitting suit with his disguised co-accused, having previously made an appointment with the manager.
His accomplice, though dressed as a woman, was unshaven and wearing a poor quality, black wig.
Collins claimed the “woman” he was with had been awarded €2.9 million by the State and wanted to invest it.
Collins of Neilstown Gardens, Clondalkin pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at Permanent TSB on Lower Kilmacud Road, Stillorgan on October 20th, 2010. He received a three-year prison sentence. His co-accused is to face trial later in the year.
Garda David L’Estrange told prosecuting counsel Dara Hayes that the branch manager, Michael Doyle, received a phone call from a woman with a strong Dublin accent wanting to make an appointment for her brother and sister and claimed the sister had over €2 million and wanted to buy a house.
Mr Doyle and the assistant manager met with Collins and his co-accused and he noticed the woman sitting in the wheelchair was wearing a poor quality black wig. He also noted the suit Collins wore did not seem to fit him properly.
Collins pushed his co-accused into the manager’s office, leaving the wheelchair facing the door. The co-accused in the wheelchair then stood up and produced what Mr Doyle thought was a shotgun.
The co-accused shouted “Get down on the floor” and Mr Doyle then realised it was a male, with an unshaven face, dressed as a woman.
Mr Doyle told gardaí he realised the weapon was a hatchet made to look like a gun. Collins, who has 55 previous convictions, produced a similar weapon and struck the manager on the back of the leg, causing him to bleed.
Both men ran from the bank empty-handed to a waiting car and sped off. Gardaí arrested the two men a short time later.
Judge Martin Nolan noted that some violence was used but said there is “some hope of rehabilitation” for Collins while he is in prison before he jailed him for three years.