Books of evidence to be served on men accused of taking part in violent robbery

Books of evidence are to be served in a case which was put back to July 30, against two men accused of taking part in a violent robbery at a Texaco service station.

Shane O’Donoghue, aged 41, of Leesdale, Model Farm Rd, Cork, is charged with carrying out the robbery of €915 at Texaco on Model Farm Rd, Cork, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025.

Mark Sheehan, aged 44, of Hazel Rd, Togher, Cork, faces the same charge of robbery.

Detective Garda David Hickey outlined the background to the prosecution case and alleged that Shane O’Donoghue was pursued by gardaí from the scene of the robbery, and began to discard some of his clothing and some cash and then plunged into a river to escape.

Det Garda Hickey said at Cork District Court that a member of An Garda Siochána jumped into the river after Mr O’Donoghue and brought him back to the riverbank where he was arrested and later charged.

Det Garda Hickey said a member of staff at the Texaco service station was caught in a chokehold headlock by one raider as a second culprit ripped the till from the counter.

The allegation was that at around 8.30pm on Wednesday, November 5, two men entered Texaco Service Station on Model Farm Rd in Cork, went behind the shop counter, and demanded that staff to open the tills.

One of them grabbed a staff member in a chokehold headlock.

The other male ripped the till out and put it into a bag.

Both of them then left the store on foot.

Judge David Waters was told that the cases had been struck out because of a delay in getting directions from the DPP.

Now they have been re-charged and the directions are for trial by indictment.

Bail conditions in respect of both men require them to stay away from the Texaco outlet, sign on twice a week at Togher Garda Station, and provide a contact number at which each of them can be contacted by gardaí at all times.

Each man is charged with robbery.

In addition, Shane O’Donoghue is charged with causing criminal damage to a cash register.

Mark Sheehan is additionally charged with assault causing harm to a member of staff.