A getaway driver in an armed robbery of more than €100,000 who threatened gardaí with a sawn-off shotgun while hijacking a passing motorist's car has been jailed for seven years.
Judge Donagh McDonagh at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court said the money was recovered due to "excellent police activity" by gardaí who arrived on the scene.
He suspended the final two years of the sentence.
Defence counsel Bernard Condon BL described his client's attempt to escape as "shambolic" and said David Dwyer had a difficult family background.
Dwyer (23), of Greenfort Crescent, Clondalkin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to robbery and car theft at Liffey Valley Shopping Centre on December 5th, 2003.
Charges of possession of a firearm and unlawful use of a vehicle were also taken into account.
Judge McDonagh said Dwyer and his accomplice, who has not been apprehended, were equally responsible for the robbery although Dwyer remained outside the shop during the raid during which "people were put in fear of their lives".
Det Garda Tom Flannagan told Caroline Biggs BL, prosecuting, that Dwyer waited outside an Argos store on a motorbike as his accomplice entered the shop with a semi-automatic shotgun which he waved in front of 10 witnesses and shouted, "this is a hold-up". He made off with €105,000.
Det Garda Flannagan said Dwyer was unable to start the motorbike and the two men abandoned it and the bag of money and ran towards the main road.
Gardaí arrived at the scene and the shotgun was passed to Dwyer who pointed it at a garda and said: "I'll shoot."
Dwyer stopped a passing car and threatened the female driver who saw he was armed. The men drove away and gardaí found the car crashed and abandoned with the motor still running near Shancastle Park.
Det Gda Flannagan said Dwyer was found hiding nearby in an agitated state.
Gardaí recovered the money near the shopping centre and found the shotgun which was unloaded.
Dwyer had 16 previous convictions for crimes, including false imprisonment, aggravated burglary and road traffic offences. He was under a 20-year driving ban at the time of the robbery.