‘ An untypical, bizarre, robber’

A 35 year old father of two who robbed a supermarket of over € 2,000 was described as not being a typical criminal but was committing ‘ bizarre and crazy’ robberies.

Before Sligo Circuit Court was Gary Quinn ( pictured) whom Judge Keenan Johnson remanded in custody for sentencing in November.

The court was told Quinn was a gambler who also had psychiatric difficulties but Judge Johnson said a probation report had put the defendant at high risk of re- offending and to not impose a custodial sentence in the matter would fly in the face of all sentencing parameters.

The Judge noted that Quinn had gone into the Mace garage on Mail Coach Road on April 18th last with a hunting knife and “terrorised” a member of staff before making off with € 2,873 in cash.

“It’s not much comfort for the victim in this case or society to come along and say I’ve a psychiatric condition,” said the Judge.

The court heard that Quinn, of Cairns Drive, had 34 previous convictions including one of attempted robbery of a fast food outlet in Collooney with an imitation gun on May 11th, 2010.

He had also gone into a supermarket at Knappagh Road on December 6th 2013 with a syringe with red liquid inside and demanded cash from staff but he fled empty handed after they refused to hand over any.

Detective Garda Paul Casey outlined to the court how on how a 21 year old member of staff was about to close up for the night around 11pm when a man wearing a balaclava came running through the door shouting at him to open the tills and give him the money throwing a bag at him in the process. The shop worker, who felt the robber had what was described as a hunting knife, was told to hurry up and fill the bag. He was terrified and thought he was going to be stabbed, said Det Garda Casey.

A second till was also opened and the money put in the bag. The robber was wearing a hat with holes cut for the eyes but it wasn’t properly done said witness.

The robber ran off and Gardaí subsequently arrived and viewed CCTV footage with the defendant being nominated subsequently as a suspect and arrested three days later making a full confession.

Quinn told Gardaí that he was truly sorry and that he had a serious gambling addiction. He said however that he didn’t get a buzz from winning or losing anymore.

On the morning of the robbery he had spent his € 188 dole by 10.30am in a bookmakers.

By the afternoon he was wandering around the town and started thinking about committing the robbery.

Quinn stated that he would never forget the look on the young shop worker’s face.

He took tablets that night before going to bed. He could not remember what he did with the knife.

Det Garda Casey said Quinn told them that he spent the money in several bookmakers the next day, laying down bets in sums of € 100 on US races and “stupid bets like cartoon racing.”

Witness agreed with Mr Joe Barnes BL with Gerard McGovern, solicitor that the defendant had definite psychiatric issues.

Mr Barnes asked the Detective Garda where he would place him on a scale of one to ten as an armed robbery and witness replied: “I’d firmly put him at the lower end of that scale.”

Mr Barnes said it was bizarre and crazy but Judge Johnson said this robbery was different to the others and that he had been given every opportunity by the courts previously to mend his ways and he had to suffer the consequences of that.

Mr Barnes sought an adjournment of sentencing so that the defendant could be assessed psychiatrically on October 28th in Sligo but the Judge said he wasn’t happy to let the defendant walk out when a probation report was saying he was of high risk of re- offending.

Mr Barnes said the defendant was hoping to do a Fetac Leaving Cert course and that he had an unusual profile as an offender.

Judge Johnson ( pictured left) told Mr Barnes he couldn’t give him any guarantees that the defendant won’t commit a further crime.

Mr Barnes replied that he couldn’t give that undertaking in relation to any client.

“Wouldn’t I look to be failing in my duty to let him walk out of here again on bail having already got two suspended sentences and he commits a further offence,” said the Judge.

Det Garda Casey also stated that he believed Quinn maybe being influenced by a third party and may well re- offend and this was a real issue. The Garda added that he had the defendant’s welfare in mind when stating this.

Judge Johnson remanded Quinn in custody to appear at a sitting of Longford Circuit Court on November 9th and for him to be brought to St Columba’s on October 28th for his psychiatric assessment.

The Judge thanked Det. Garda Casey for what he said was the humane way in which he gave his evidence.