Man pleads guilty to robbery of off-licence and producing knife during raid

A MAN, aged 26, charged with the robbery of an off-licence, has now been charged with the additional count of carrying a knife during the raid.

Sergeant Pat Lyons told Judge Olann Kelleher that the Director of Public Prosecutions had indicated that the case should proceed by indictment and that it was a matter for trial by judge and jury or for a signed plea of guilty.

As soon as the second charge was brought against the accused, his solicitor, Shane Collins-Daly, indicated that Trevor Doyle would be pleading guilty to both counts.

Doyle, with addresses at Elm Grove, Midleton, Co Cork, and Redforge Road, Blackpool, Cork, appeared at Cork District Court.

He faced charges that on January 11, 2023, at O’Donovan’s off-licence, Blackpool, Cork, he robbed €250 in cash, and of producing a knife during the robbery.

The accused man signed pleas of guilty to both charges.

Judge Kelleher sent the case forward for sentencing at the sessions of Cork Circuit Criminal Court, commencing on October 23.

Sgt Lyons said the accused was currently in custody.

Mr Collins-Daly said there was no application for bail pending sentence.

Judge Kelleher then sent him forward in custody for sentencing in October.

There was one summary charge for the district court to which he also pleaded guilty.

That was of failing to appear in court as required on June 28, when a bench warrant had to be issued for his arrest.

Sgt Lyons said the same man had two previous convictions for failing to appear in court.

Mr Collins-Daly said the accused had been in hospital that day after self-harming.

Judge Kelleher imposed a two-month prison sentence on the man for his failure to appear in June.

When he was first charged with robbery of the off-licence in January, his reply after caution was: “I apologise.”