A DRUG addict who robbed a priest at knifepoint after he tied him to a chair in his church has had his sentence adjourned again to allow for updated urine analysis and a probation report.
Anthony Carolan faces up to life imprisonment when he is sentenced next February. The court heard evidence that he had received 28 convictions and been granted bail 15 times since he had robbed the church two years ago.
Carolan (32), Crumlin Road, Crumlin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the aggravated burglary of Donnybrook Church on April 27th, 2007.
Judge Patricia Ryan granted an application to adjourn sentencing and remanded Carolan in custody until February.
Sgt Donnacha Maguire told Ronan Kennedy, prosecuting, that a parishioner asked Fr Declan Gallagher to talk to him. He finished locking up and he and the parishioner went to the sacristy and talked.
Fr Gallagher heard a knocking on the door which he ignored at first but then went to check. When he opened the sacristy door he was confronted by two men in balaclavas wielding knives. They said they wanted money and demanded to know where the safe was.
The priest opened the safe for them and they emptied it of £50 and $100 as well as a number of cheques.
They tied the priest and the parishioner to chairs using cable ties. While apologising for the robbery, they searched the priest and stole his phone and €350 he had on him. They then fled. CCTV cameras in the church porch recorded the men removing their masks as they left.
Fr Gallagher used a blade to cut the cable ties and free himself and the parishioner. Gardaí were called and they identified both men on the CCTV footage.
Carolan was arrested several weeks later and made full admissions in interview. He said he felt “bad, bad, bad” and was doing a lot of cocaine at the time.