Man pleaded guilty to attempted robbery of a shop in Dundalk

A 51-year-old man who tried to rob a shop at a Dundalk filling station, has been sentenced at the local district court to 220 hours community service in lieu of a four month jail term.

Thomas McGee with an address at Aisling Park, Cox’s Demesne, Dundalk, pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and theft of food at Maxol, Castletown Road, on August seventh 2022 and admitted trespassing at a construction site at Patrick Tierney Crescent on October eighth 2020.

The court heard last Wednesday how two men had entered the shop at Maxol on the Castletown Road. One produced a black “handgun-type” weapon and demanded that the till be opened, but that wasn’t possible, as money had to be placed in it first.

The defendant was subsequently identified as the man dressed all in black with the firearm.

In the other case, the court was told that when the construction site was opened at 7.50am it was believed items had been stolen overnight. Blood was found and CCTV captured an individual inside.

The court heard the 51 year old had 44 previous convictions, including for assault and attempted robbery.

The defence solicitor said his client, who had been “in and out of trouble” since the ‘80s had recently been provided with housing by the council.

He co-operated and expressed shame and regret over what happened and ‘has been keeping himself to himself’.

Judge McKiernan remarked it was a “very serious” matter and she was only considering community service, “because he’s in housing”.