Thief who stole mobile phone identified via TV documentary

A DUBLIN thief with 16 previous convictions who robbed a man at knifepoint has escaped a prison sentence.

The court yesterday heard how the mugger was identified by his victim because he appeared on a TV3 documentary about recovering addicts.

Noel Darby, 42, featured in Darndale: The Edge Of Town, speaking of his hopes of finally ridding himself of his addiction issues.

Darby robbed a mobile phone from a man at a bus stop on February 9, 2015, immediately running away.

The man followed him but then noticed that Darby, who had previously engaged him in conversation, had a seven-inch knife.

Darby shouted, ‘Don’t f***ing follow me’, and the man backed away.

The man felt that he recognised the robber from the documentary. When he returned home, he confirmed that the robber had appeared in the programme after watching an episode on YouTube.

Darby, of Belcamp Gardens, Priorswood, Dublin 17, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to robbery of a mobile phone on the Malahide Road in Coolock on February 9, 2015.

His 16 previous convictions include offences for possession of a firearm and drugs and a robbery. He had not committed any serious offences in 13 years prior to the 2015 robbery.

Darby was arrested the following day and made full admissions.

Sentencing Darby yesterday, Judge Melanie Greally noted that he had not committed any further offences in the three years since the incident. ‘That is a serious consideration,’ the judge said.

She said Darby had relapsed into drug use at the time of the offence but had since rehabilitated himself.

She handed down a three-and-ahalf year sentence and suspended it on a number of conditions, including that Darby not re-offend.

Anne-Marie Lawlor SC, defending, said that Darby was deeply ashamed of his actions and claimed it had been ‘a spur of the moment’ offence.