A MAN and woman were jailed for a year for robbing an elderly west of Ireland man last weekend. Athlone District Court heard how £130 was taken from a wallet which belonged to the owner of a house after the robbers gained entry by pretending they were selling religious pictures.
Det Garda Pat Shannon said the victim, Mr Desmond Glynn (77), of Castlepark, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, had been "petrified" by the experience last Sunday.
Ann Connors (18), of St Melrose Site, Tallaght, Dublin, was jailed, along with accomplice Paul McDonagh, of Rosfield Avenue, Tallaght, who was said to be the getaway car driver.
McDonagh was also convicted for his part in assaulting and robbing an English tourist of £30 earlier that day at Kilcock, Co Kildare. He also admitted breaking into a house at Moyvalley, Co Kildare, which was occupied by an elderly invalid and her daughter.
Judge O'Sullivan said they were particularly bad crimes given the present climate. The use of a religious emblem to help gain entry to the house showed just how far religion had "gone down the tubes".