Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Drug addict guilty of robbing priest

A DRUG addict robbed a priest at knife-point after he tied him to a chair in his church, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

Anthony Carolan (32) faces up to life imprisonment when he is sentenced next October.

The court heard evidence that he had amassed 28 convictions and had been granted bail 15 times since he robbed the church two years ago.

Carolan, Crumlin Road, Crumlin, pleaded guilty to the aggravated burglary of Donnybrook church on April 27th, 2007.

Sgt Donnacha Maguire told Ronan Kennedy, prosecuting, that Fr Declan Gallagher was locking up the church when a parishioner asked to talk to him.

He finished locking up and he and the parishioner went to the sacristy and had a conversation.

Fr Gallagher heard a knocking on the door which he ignored at first but then he went to check what it was. When he opened the sacristy door, he was confronted by two men in balaclavas wielding knives. They had hidden in the church when it was been locked up.

Fr Gallagher opened the safe for them and they emptied it of £50 and $100 as well as a number of cheques.

They then tied the priest and the other man to chairs using cable ties. While apologising for the robbery, they searched the priest and stole his phone and €350 he had on his person.

They then fled. CCTV cameras in the church porch recorded the men removing their masks.

Fr Gallagher was able to use a blade to cut the cable ties and free himself and the parishioner.

Gardaí were called and they identified both men on the CCTV footage.

Carolan was arrested several weeks later and made full admissions in interview.

Seán Gillane, defending, called it an offence that “borders on the unspeakable” but asked Judge Patricia Ryan to consider his lack of education and the “deep shame” he felt.

Judge Ryan granted a defence application to adjourn sentencing to allow for an updated probation report and drug testing.

She remanded Carolan in custody until October when she will finalise sentence.
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