A 19-year-old youth who drove the getaway car in the robbery of €132,000 of old coins from the 'Pennies from Heaven' charity has been remanded in custody for sentence.
Derek Jennings, from Greenfort Gardens, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the aggravated burglary of old Irish coins valued at £66,137 and sterling coins to the value of £30,724 sterling on December 6th, 2002. He has ten previous convictions. He will be sentenced on July 22nd.
Two other culprits who paid €1,000 euro for stg#5,000 have also been remanded in custody for sentence on the same date.
James Collins (19), from Harelawn Avenue, and Philip Orr (25), from Rowlagh Gardens, both Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to the possession of stolen coins valued at £5,000 and £5,000 sterling on December 12th, 2002. Collins has 55 previous convictions, while Orr has none.
Judge Frank O'Donnell said there were of matters he wished to consider before sentence.
The 'Pennies from Heaven' charity was set up at the time of the Euro changeover to get people to donate old coins they no longer required. Collection boxes were placed in various locations, such as banks, around the city.
All the money that was collected in Dublin was brought to Clancy Barracks in Islandbridge and two security guards were employed to watch it.
The court heard that on the night of December 6th, 2002, a gang of armed and masked men held the two guards at gunpoint, tied them up with cable and demanded the keys for the room where the money was stored. They also opened the gate and let a van onto the premises.
All the money was loaded into the van, which was being driven by Jennings, and the men made their escape. The security guards eventually manage to free themselves and contacted the gardaí.
It was the intention of the raiders to sell £5,000 sterling for €1,000 and the recipients of the British money could go to Northern Ireland and exchange it.
All the money that was stolen was recovered.