Men charged with post office robbery

TWO men appeared before Gorey District Court on Wednesday seeking bail after they were charged in connection with the robbery of a post-office in Bridgetown.

The two are due to appear in court again this morning.

As part of their bail conditions, set last week by Judge Gerard Haughton, James Byrne and David Lawlor were ordered to reside at 7A, Windmill Heights, Wexford, and 4 Belvedere Grove, Wexford, respectively.

Garda Trevor Buckley told the court that he arrested David Lawlor on February 4, at 3.38 p.m. and that he was formally charged in Wexford Garda Station at 11.36 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5.

Judge Haughton heard the defendant made no reply when charged.

The court heard that James Byrne was arrested on the same date and that he was also formally charged on Tuesday, February 5, and made no reply to the charge.

The Gardai then outlined the details of the case to the judge who heard that a robbery occurred at Bridgetown post-office at 10.36 a.m. on Monday, February 4.

Garda Donovan told the court that two men approached the premises in a black, ‘95 Saab.

The judge heard the first male entered the shop wearing hi-vis clothing and a motorcycle helmet.

He was also wearing a hoodie and had a knife in his possession.

The second male was also wearing hi-vis clothing and a motorcycle helmet and he had an iron bar in his possession.

There was an elderly woman in the post-office at the time along with the post-mistress.

‘The first male banged the knife on the counter and she [the post-mistress] refused to hand over money,’ said garda Donovan.

The court heard the second man then became aggressive and banged the security door with the bar.

The post-mistress then handed over money because she was worried about the elderly woman present.

The court heard the two men made off with a quantity of cash.

Judge Haughton heard that investigations by the Gardai led to a woman commenting that she saw a black Saab parked near where the crime was committed and that items were thrown from the car.

These items included till receipts from Costcutters shop in Wellingtonbridge. The bar codes on those were then used to ascertain the time when the purchases were made and the gardai then viewed CCTV footage in the shop from that time and the two accused were identified by garda Donovan on that footage.

He told Judge Haughton the two men were known to him.

The court heard that James Byrne matched the description of the first male involved in the incident while David Lawlor matched the description of the second male.

The court also heard that another witness had told gardai they saw two males on a motorbike, wearing hi-viz clothing in the Bridgetown area early on Monday, February 4.

Garda Donovan said the first male who entered the post-office had a hoodie up inside the motorcycle helmet.

James Byrne was represented in court by barrister, Mr Whitmore B.L., who outlined to the court that black Saab’s would be ‘common in Wexford’.

Garda Donovan said the two accused were in the shop in Wellingtonbridge for over 10 minutes.

Mr Whitmore pointed out that his client had no previous convictions for robbery or theft and he told the judge that he was instructed that the defendant would comply with any bail conditions imposed by the court.

However, garda Donovan said the defendant was convicted of offences while on bail in the past and said: ‘I have serious concerns of further offences while he is on bail.’

‘This charge is for robbery,’ said Mr Whitmore.

‘It’s a serious offence and could carry a life sentence,’ replied garda Donovan.

Mr Whitmore said the evidence against his client was circumstantial ‘at best’.

‘He has no previous convictions for robbery or theft,’ he said.

‘If there were to be strict bail conditions he says he will not breach them,’ he added.

Judge Haughton heard the defendant’s solicitor was in court to act as independent surety.

‘There is no DNA evidence; all the evidence is purely circumstantial,’ said Mr Whitmore. ‘I would say there is every reality he will turn up on the next day,’ he added.

Garda Buckley outlined to the court that David Lawlor had also committed offences while on bail before and he also expressed concern that if granted bail he would fail to turn up for the next hearing date.

‘The charge before the court is a very serious charge and is the most serious one to-date,’ said garda Buckley.

Barrister, Jordan Fletcher B.L.. told the court his client had never appeared before the Circuit Court.

Mr Fletcher said the evidence against his client was ‘even worse’ and commented: ‘He apparently committed this because he was in a black Saab and was wearing the same type of clothes as the person who committed the robbery, so there has to be reasonable doubt.’

In making his decision Judge Haughton said it was a serious offence before the court. ‘It is a serious offence and it will end up in the Circuit Court,’ he said.

In the case of James Byrne he set bail at €500 and imposed a number of strict conditions including that he reside at 7A, Windmill Heights, Wexford.

He also imposed a curfew between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. and ordered that his mobile phone be on and fully charged at all times and that he be available to take a call from the gardai at all times.

He also has to sign on twice daily at Wexford Garda Station.

The judge imposed similar bail conditions on David Lawlor and granted bail of €500 with independent surety of €1,000.

He ordered him to reside at 4 Belvedere Grove, Wexford, and adhere to a curfew between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.

He was also ordered to sign on twice daily at Wexford Garda Station and both defendants were ordered to stay out of Bridgetown.