Man allegedly pointed 'handgun' at head of staff member during Cork credit union robbery

A book of evidence is to be prepared in a case where a ‘handgun’ was allegedly pointed at the head of a member of staff at a credit union as a robbery was carried out.

Judge David Waters remanded Stephen Murphy in custody until August 12 at Cork District Court, on the application of Sergeant Aisling Murphy. The accused man appeared in court by video link from prison.

Ballistics tests are to be carried out on what appeared to be a handgun seized by gardaí during the investigation, where it is alleged that a man carried out an armed robbery at The Lough Credit Union in Cork.

Judge Waters stated at an earlier hearing that regardless of forensics, even if it is found to be an imitation handgun, he still found the case to be too serious for the district court,  where it was alleged that what appeared to be a gun was pointed at a person’s head.

Sergeant Aisling Murphy said, the allegations in the case were that: "On May 15, 2026, at 11.30am, gardaí responded to a report of an armed robbery at the Lough Credit Union, Togher Road. 

"It was alleged that a male entered the credit union, wearing all black and fully covered up, approached an elderly female at the cash desk and pointed a handgun at her head and put his arm around her neck. 

"He then threatened the teller to empty the till or he would shoot the female. He pointed the gun at the teller and demanded money. In the face of the threat the teller gave the culprit the cash in the till.”