A heroin addict who robbed women at a city centre bank cash machine at syringe point has been jailed for three years by Judge Elizabeth Dunne at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mark Cowap (25), originally from the East Wall Road, pleaded guilty to robbing two women and to assault with intent to rob a man on January 26th, 28th and 29th, 2000.
He is now serving the balance of a five year sentence which was imposed in 1998 and reactivated after his arrest for the January 2000 crimes. He has 11 previous convictions.
Garda Keith Goff told prosecuting counsel Mr Hugo Hynes BL that one of the victims picked Cowap form a selection of 12 pictures as the man who threatened to give her AIDS when he accosted her at the Ulster Bank cashpoint at O'Connell Bridge.
Defense counsel Mr Luigi Rea BL said Cowap was released from his five year sentence drug-free but had not been prepared psychologically for living without drug dependency. He had a tragic background but was again drug-free in Port Laoise Prison and doing educational courses.