Drug debt led to Gurteen robbery

A 23- year- old father of one was under immense pressure to commit a robbery of a supermarket in Gurteen in order to get money to pay off a drugs debt, the Circuit Court in Sligo was told.

Ethan Hannon of Church View, Collooney had gone into Tansey’s Discount Store in the village on February 13th last armed with a knife demanding money from the till. He made off with € 215.

Sergeant Gerry Curley told the court that the day before the robbery the defendant had entered the store on two occasions, spending 25 minutes looking around the DIY section on one visit and later when he came in looking for 5c coins in change.

On the 13th, Matthew Tansey was locking up at around 7.15pm when a man entered the store with a scarf over his mouth and when he was told that the shop was clsoed he stated that he was “here to take all the money from the till.” He produced a knife at the same time.

Sgt Curley told Ms Dara Foynes BL with State Solicitor Mr Hugh Sheridan, that Mr Tansey recognised the man as the same person who had been in the store the day before.

Before leaving the robber told Mr Tansey not to call the cops and he took off running. CCTV was looked at and house to house enquires were carried out.

When Gardaí were at 10 Flannery Terrace the defendant was present and he became upset when speaking with Detective Garda Oliver McHale and admitted carrying out the robbery saying he regretted it.

Hannon was subsequently arrested and told Gardaí that he owed money for drugs and that his family was being threatened.

It had been suggested to him that he rob the shop. “It was you or your family, he was told,” said witness.

The defendant said he brought the knife to scare.

Sgt Curley said since the robbery the defendan had been convicted of road traffic offences but had a clean record up to then.

Witness said he was satisfied the defendant was under pressure to pay a drug debt and he didn’t seem to have come to terms with this yet as there had been incidents since where he had been an injured party.

Judge Keenan Johnson also noted that when at a probation service appointment in Sligo he had been threatened.

Mr Leo Mulrooney BL with Mr Mark Mullaney, solicitor ( defending), said Hannon had shown Mr Tansey the knife but it had never been brandished “or held up to this throat.”

Mr Mulrooney said Hannon had € 215 in court to pay back to Mr Tansey while he also had in mind to raise € 1,000 if given a year.

In reply to Judge Keenan Johnson, Sgt Curley said Mr Tansey had not been traumatised but he was upset at the time.

Mr Mulrooney pleaded that Mr Tansey must of course have been terrified and unsure of what was going to happen next but there was nothing gratuitious about the defendant’s behaviour, no roaring or shouting.

The barrister added that threats had been made to Hannon’s family and immense pressure had been put on him to commit the crime. It wasn’t an enterprise he had entered into freely

Hannon had left school at 16 and cannabis had been a feature of his life from 14 while he also abused prescription drugs and rose debts he could not manage.

Judge Johnson said it was an all too familiar pattern in the court and others around the country. Drugs were an absolute scourge on society and were responsible for 80% of the crime perpetrated. He said this crime woud have been unheard of 20 to 25 years ago in rural Ireland but was becoming all too prevalent and was undermining the fabric of rural society.

JudgeJohnson said the fact a knife was used was an aggravating factor but he noted the early plea and co- operation with Gardaí while a probation report put him at medium risk of re- offending. The Judge imposed a four year jail term, suspended for five years on condition the defendant enter a bond to keep the peace for five years, submit to two years’ probation service supervision and pay Mr Tansey € 1,000 in two instalments.

He must also submit to urine analysis and remain drug and alcohol free for five years.