Stole wallet of a man with intellectual disabilities in a public toilet in Dundalk

A man who stole the wallet of a man with intellectual disabilities in a public toilet, was jailed for two and a half years at Dundalk Circuit Court last week.

Robert Maguire of St Helena’s, Dundalk pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery arising out of the incident at Roden Place, Dundalk on September 27th 2017.

The court was told lasts Wednesday that victim had gone to an off-licence to buy cigarettes around 8pm and was planning to return to a pub on Crowe Street when he ran into the defendant and another man.

He went into the public toilet beside St Patrick’s church where he drank a can of beer with the defendant.

He told gardai he didn’t feel safe with him.

The defendant kept the door open with his foot, and when the siren went off the victim said he wanted to go, and Robert Maguire then grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back into the toilet as the door shut.

He rifled through the victim’s pockets and found his wallet before hitting the button on the door and running off.

It contained €150 in cash, his PPS card and medical card and the man told gardai he could not sleep the night of the robbery and now has a massive fear of the defendant.

The injured party reported the robbery the next day, with the assistance of his sister and when arrested Robert Maguire admitted knowing the man and that he was aware of his disabilities but he denied robbing him.

The defendant, one of 24 siblings, had 119 previous convictions including two for robbery and he had twice failed to appear on his sentencing date in relation to the case, and has been in custody since December.

The Defence barrister said his client is of no fixed abode and while he has his mother’s address he rarely stays there.

He added that his client has a long-standing heroin addiction, having first used the drug in St Patrick’s Institution and has had the habit for 30 years.

Judge Dara Hayes imposed a sentence of two and a half years backdated to October 28th last to allow for time spent in custody on the charge.