Man who stole dog in Cork city after threatening owner with lump hammer jailed

A Clare man who swung a lump hammer in the direction of a man’s head before grabbing his French bulldog and bundling the dog into the back of his van was jailed for two years.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said, “It is difficult to understand – a man is out walking his dog and on this occasion he was met with considerable violence when the accused came at him with a lump hammer. He did not just use it to scare him. He swung it a considerable number of times to get the dog.

“It was quite an outrageous attack on this poor man.” 

Michael Molloy was also given a two-year driving disqualification for using his vehicle in the commission of a crime.

Detective Garda Brian Murphy who investigated the case said the dog fell out of the van as it was being driven away and the culprit grabbed him again and pulled him into the van.

Through CCTV the accused’s van was identified and when contacted by gardaí he arranged for the handing back of the dog named Rocco.

There was evidence that the owner was used to being stopped by curious pedestrians enquiring in a friendly manner about the dog because he is an uncommon breed.

Michael Molloy of An Faill, Cul Ard, Carrigtohill, County Cork, pleaded guilty to carrying out a robbery at Ballincollie Road in Ballyvolane on April 11 of the 14-month-old French Bulldog, from Denis McCarthy.

Det. Garda Murphy said the owner was walking the dog at 4.30 on the afternoon of April 11 when a Ford Focus pulled up beside him, a young man jumped out of the back of it, swung a lump hammer twice or three times in his direction and demanded the dog. He grabbed the dog, took him into the Focus which was driven away, the detective said.

The owner managed to get partial registration details and the car was traced to Michael Molloy with that information and examination of CCTV in the area.

The owner, who is aged around 30, previously thanked the gardaí and credited social media for the dog's safe return after a successful online appeal.

It was widely reported in the course of lockdowns in Ireland and in the UK that there was a huge demand for pet dogs and that the price of dogs had grown dramatically. The charge sheet in Molloy’s case specifies the value of the French bulldog at €2,000.

Niamh Stewart defence barrister said the 28-year-old defendant described his robbery of the dog as a moment of madness and was extremely sorry for his actions. He had ten previous theft convictions.

In the course of Garda Murphy’s evidence he said that they also seized CCTV belonging to the defendant from outside his house. He refused to give them the access code but gardaí accessed it nonetheless and it captured the moment when Molloy got out of his van with Rocco concealed under a blanket. Molloy could be seen looking left and right and waiting until a passer-by was gone before bringing the dog into his house.