Shortly after a garda got confidential information he saw and arrested the man alleged to have carried out a robbery with a syringe four days earlier, a court heard.
Garda Martin Harrington told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that Mr Patrick McAuley (25), of The Square, Ringsend, Dublin 4, later made a statement admitting he committed the crime.
Mr McAuley has pleaded not guilty to robbing £50 from the Bustop Newsagency, D'Olier Street, on February 26th, 1996, and to using a syringe on the same occasion.
Garda Harrington said he was on mobile patrol with Garda P.J. Conway on March 1st when he saw Mr McAuley in the city centre. He seemed to be wearing the same jacket as the robber seen on the security video from the shop. A few hours earlier he also had received confidential information that Mr McAuley was the person who carried out the robbery. He arrested him.
The hearing continues.