Cork man who made stabbing gesture with knife during shop robbery jailed 

A young man who robbed from a shop in Cork used a knife to gesture with stabbing motions putting the middle-aged woman behind the counter in fear.

Detective Sergeant Kieran O’Sullivan said that a delivery driver who appeared on the scene during the robbery managed to escort the raider out of the shop.

Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Lee Cronin, aged 27, has been jailed for two years.

Judge Helen Boyle imposed a sentence of three years with the last year suspended in the case against Cronin, of 6 Mount St, Joseph’s Close, Bakers Rd, Cork. He was found guilty by a jury of carrying out a robbery at Tobin’s shop in Gurranabraher, Cork, on June 20, 2025.

Det Sgt O’Sullivan said that all the man got away with was €25 worth of cigarettes.

Mr Cronin was represented by barrister Brian Leahy at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Mr Leahy said that a psychiatric report on the accused would have been sought by the defence but the defendant was adamant that he did not want to wait for any report and his instructions were to go ahead immediately with sentencing.

Gestured

Det Sgt O’Sullivan said that during the robbery he gestured with a knife in a stabbing motion. A delivery driver assisted in getting Lee Cronin out of the shop. The defendant was spotted a short time later at Oliver Plunkett St.

Brian Leahy defence barrister suggested: “He is normally a pleasant young man.” The detective replied, “I agree. On days leading up to the crime we had to deal with him under the Mental Health Act.

"He has a lot of mental health issues,” the detective said.

Mr Leahy said: “This is a very sad case. I accept there was a knife wielded but I would say there was no one in danger from that knife. He is a man who needs assistance and help. He has spent almost a year in jail because of this."

Judge Boyle said: “You have longstanding, significant mental health issues. In terms of the gravity of the offence, it involved persons entitled to work in shops without this sort of terrifying event being visited on them. You did a brandishing motion. I have no doubt it was a terrifying incident,” the judge said.

Judge Boyle said the defendant was clearly presenting with mental illness issues in days prior to this on occasion in June 2025 and that this reduced his culpability.