A man who robbed a bank and a bookmakers to raise money to compensate drug dealers for a stash of cocaine gardaí had confiscated from him has received a 12-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
William Treacy (24), Markievicz House, Townsend Street, had no previous convictions before he was caught with the drugs, worth almost €6,000, in 2005. He then carried out two armed robberies on a bank and bookmakers in an effort to pay back the drug dealers who had demanded compensation.
Treacy pleaded guilty to armed robbery of €5,800 from the Bank of Ireland on Pearse Street, robbery of €730 from Ladbrokes on Grand Canal Street and possession of the cocaine for sale or supply between November 22nd, 2005 and February 12th, 2007.
Judge Katherine Delahunt suspended four years. However she said the victims of Treacy's armed raids who had had a gun pointed in their faces were traumatised by his crimes. Garda Patrick Casey had agreed with Luigi Rea, defending, that Treacy's only reason for carrying out the robberies was to cover the cost of the drugs that had been confiscated on November 22nd, 2005.
Garda Casey said Treacy was treated at St James's Hospital after he was attacked by the drugs dealers to whom he owed money following threats to burn down his home and cause him harm.
Treacy was named as a suspect through confidential information and he made a full admission.