Limerick addict who threatened women with blood-filled syringe jailed

A DRUG addict who robbed two women after threatening them with a blood-filled syringe during the first Covid lockdown has been jailed for five years.

Jonathon Higgins, 34, of no fixed abode was before Limerick Circuit Court in relation to an incident in Limerick city centre on May 15, 2020.

Giving evidence during a sentencing hearing, Detective Garda Chris McGrath said the women – aged in their 30s and 50s – were walking home at around 10.30pm having finished work at a restaurant.

“It was during the first lockdown, the streets were deserted,” commented John O’Sullivan BL, prosecuting.

Detective Garda McGrath said the defendant, who was sleeping rough at the time “shadowed” the two women for a short time before catching up with them at Little Catherine Street.

He then grabbed one of the women and both were knocked to the ground. Judge Tom O’Donnell was told the women, who are both of Asian descent, later described how the culprit made a “stabbing motion” with the syringe and demanded that they hand over their cash and valuables.

After one of the women emptied the contents of her purse into a flower pot to distract Mr Higgins, both fled and raised the alarm.

Detective Garda McGrath said the movements of the defendant – before and after the robbery – were tracked on CCTV and that the syringe was subsequently located in the basement area of a property on Thomas Street.

Mr Higgins, who is originally from Sixmilebridge, was located and arrested the following day.

Mark Nicholas SC said his client is a “significant and long-term” drug user whose life had “bottomed out” around the time.

“He’s not coming from a nice place or a good support system,” he said adding there is a “huge sense of remorse”.

Imposing sentence, Judge Tom O’Donnell said the defendant has an appalling criminal record and that the use of a syringe was an aggravating factor.

However, he noted that the matter had come before the courts quickly and he had pleaded guilty early despite the pandemic.

He imposed a five year prison sentence which was back-dated to the date of the offence.