Man threatened staff at shops with scissors

A WEXFORD drug addict used a large pair of scissors to threaten staff in raids on three city centre shops in Dublin, a court heard.

Anthony Rossitter (32) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to three charges of attempted robbery on the shops in Dublin city centre on May 15, 2019.

The court heard last week that at around 9 a.m. that day Rossitter went into a Gala shop on Abbey Street. Dublin and placed a plastic bag on the counter. He told a staff member at the cash register to put cash into the bag. He was holding a pair of large stainless steel scissors and told one member of staff to give him money or he would ‘cut’ him. A member of staff who was stacking chocolate in the aisles came over and told Rossitter they didn’t have cash on hand and Rossitter left.

He went to a Spar shop in Temple Bar and demanded cash but again left empty-handed.

Finally he went into a Gala shop on Dorset Street and demanded money while showing the scissors. Staff told him their boss had just taken all the cash and Rossitter asked them to give him €20. He left without any cash and was arrested a short time later.

Rossitter, a homeless man from County Wexford, has previous convictions for assault and drug dealing.

In 2016 at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court Rossitter received a prison sentence for two robberies. He has 46 convictions for road traffic offences.

Kevin McCrave BL, defending, told Judge Melanie Greally that Rossitter had taken tablets that morning. He said he was trying to deal with his drug addiction while in custody and wanted to be father to his young child.

Judge Greally adjourned sentencing to March 3, next to allow Rossitter to continue on a treatment programme.