Masked raider with lighter poured flammable liquid in front of mother and baby, court told

Tom Tuite

A Dublin man accused of demanding cash after pouring a flammable liquid on a shop counter while holding a lighter in the presence of a mother and her baby has been granted bail.

Darragh Kane (25), of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, was accused of carrying out a knife robbery at his local shop, the Nearby store in Marlfied, Tallaght, on July 3rd and was refused bail at Dublin District Court three days later.

However, this week, he brought a fresh bail application before the High Court in Cloverhill.

Mr Justice Paul Burns set bail at €700 but required the accused to obey conditions: sign on daily at a Garda station, remain contactable by mobile phone, surrender his passport, obey a curfew and stay away from the shop.

He will appear again at the District Court later.

Garda Danny Maloney alleged a male "entered the store armed with a small bottle of accelerant, a knife and a lighter."

According to the garda, the masked raider poured the flammable liquid onto the counter and told the shopkeeper to hand over money.

The contested bail hearing was told the man also had a knife, reached over the counter, took the cash drawer and fled with €446.

Garda Maloney said it was a "well-planned robbery."

The court heard that the raider was on CCTV footage outside the shop waiting for his chance to enter the store. The door has a security measure and can only be opened by staff from the inside.

It was alleged the robber entered when he saw a staff member exiting.

The court also heard claims that a woman and baby were in the store during the incident.

It was alleged the raider could be heard referring to the baby when demanding money from the cashier, saying, "Come on, there's a baby here."

The accused, whose mother came to court to support his bail application, has yet to indicate a plea.