Cork man pleads guilty to producing knife during attempted shop robbery

Signed pleas of guilty were entered by a man accused of producing a large kitchen knife to a Dunnes Stores staff member during a robbery and his case was sent forward for sentencing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, confirmed at Cork District Court that Donal Burleigh, aged 39, was pleading guilty to the charges.

Judge David Waters then sent the case forward for sentencing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, on the application of Sergeant John Dineen. Donal Burleigh was remanded in continuing custody.

Garda Thomas Enright gave evidence in the objection to bail being granted to the accused previously and said that when arrested and interviewed he told gardaí of other crimes he planned to carry out on the day of this attempted robbery at Merchant’s Quay.

“He made full admissions to threatening the member of staff and he told me it is in his head a long time — that he wants to harm shop assistants and that after he left he was going to get on the 202 bus and go to Mahon Point to rob Curry’s and Tesco.

“He was caught red-handed. CCTV shows him committing the act. And he said he fully intends to commit robberies and cause harm to people working in shops.

“The gardaí have a strong belief that if given bail, there is a serious danger to members of the public, in particular shop workers,” Garda Enright said.

The alleged incident at Dunnes at Merchant’s Quay occurred at lunchtime on Tuesday, May 5, and Donal Burleigh, with an address at Coppinger’s Acre, Bantry Park Road, Fair Hill, was arrested on that day.